Superiores

Superiores is a term that appears in several languages with related but distinct uses. In English, superior is typically an adjective meaning higher in rank or quality, and when used as a noun it can refer to a person in a position of authority. The plural form, superiors, denotes multiple such authorities, for example managers or bosses. In religious contexts, superior is a formal title for the head of a religious house or order, such as a Mother Superior or a Father Superior; the plural superiors would then refer to more than one such leader.

In many Romance languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, superiores is the masculine plural form of the adjective superior and can function as a noun phrase meaning “the higher-ups” or “the authorities.” In these languages the term may describe people who hold higher positions or rank within an organization, a hierarchy, or a governmental body. The exact connotations depend on context and region.

In Latin, superiores is the nominative plural of the adjective superorius/superior meaning “higher” or “upper.” It can function adjectivally or as a substantive noun meaning “the higher ones” or “the authorities,” and appears in historical and ecclesiastical texts.

Legal and administrative usage sometimes distinguishes between the term superior as a court rank (as in “superior court”) and as a descriptor for higher-ranking offices. The plural superiors, when used in English, generally refers to multiple individuals who hold authority, rather than to a single specific office.