Superiority
suːˌpɪəriˈɒrɪti
Definitions
The quality of being superior; the state of being higher in rank, quality, or importance.
suːˌpɪəriˈɒrɪti
The state of being better or greater than others.
She demonstrated her intellectual superiority by answering all the questions correctly.
💡 Simply: It's like when you think you're better than someone else at something. Like, if you're really good at video games and you think you're better than your friends, that's a feeling of superiority. You might think you're super, super good!
👶 For kids: Being better than others at something.
More Examples
The company's market share reflects its superiority over its competitors.
He always acted with a sense of moral superiority, judging others harshly.
How It's Used
"The company's feeling of superiority led them to ignore the advice of their consultants."
"The army's numerical superiority gave them a strategic advantage in the battle."
Idioms & expressions
a feeling of superiority
A sense of being better than others.
"He looked down on others with a feeling of superiority."
claim superiority
Asserting that one is better than something or someone.
"Countries often claim superiority in military strength."
From Late Latin *superioritas*, from Latin *superior* ('higher'), derived from *super* ('above').
The word's use can be traced back to the 16th century, reflecting early European explorations and colonization efforts, which often involved claims of cultural or military superiority.
Memory tip
Think of *super* meaning above, which implies superiority.