Supérieures

Supérieures is a French term that denotes multiple female superiors, primarily used within religious contexts to designate women who hold the position of leader within a convent, monastery, or women’s religious house. The singular form is la supérieure (or mère supérieure). As a title, it may be capitalized in formal writing to indicate a specific office, for example les Supérieures of the order.

The responsibilities of a Supérieure typically include spiritual leadership, governance, administration, property management, and representing the community in relations with external authorities. The exact powers and duties are defined by the community’s constitutions and, in Catholic contexts, by canon law. The role is historical as well as contemporary, appearing in archives, correspondence, and institutional records.

Linguistically, supérieures derives from the adjective supérieur, with the feminine plural form used to refer to several such leaders. In modern French, the noun form is most common in ecclesiastical or organizational contexts, while the adjective sense of supérieur/supérieure meaning “higher” or “superior” remains broadly used in other constructions.

See also: supérieur, mère supérieure, canon law, convent.