superior
su·per·i·or/sʊˈpɪɹ.i.ɚ/adjective, noun
superior is spelled S-U-P-E-R-I-O-R: 8 letters and 4 syllables (su·per·i·or). It appears 29 times per million words in written English, the 3,218th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, superior means “Higher in rank, status, or quality” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in superior?
| Letters | 8: S-U-P-E-R-I-O-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: su·per·i·or |
| In writing | 29 times per million words; the 3,218th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is superior?
Superior appears 29 times per million words in written English, the 3,218th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce superior?
- UK /suːˈpɪə.ɹi.ə/
- US /sʊˈpɪɹ.i.ɚ/
- US /sə-/
Superior has 4 syllables, split su·per·i·or in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-superior.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with superior?
5 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as superior from its last stressed vowel (/ɪɹiəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of superior
- more superior comparative
- most superior superlative
- superiors plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does superior mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Higher in rank, status, or quality.
Rebecca had always thought shorts were far superior to pants, as they didn't constantly make her legs itch.
- 2
Of high standard or quality.
- 3
Greater in size or power.
- 4
Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by.
- 5
Greater or better than average.
- 6
Courageously or serenely indifferent (as to something painful or disheartening).
- 7
Printed in superscript.
a superior figure or letter
- 8
Located above or out; higher in position.
the superior jaw; the superior part of an image
noun
- 1
The senior person in a monastic community.
- 2
The head of certain religious institutions and colleges.
- 3
A superior letter, figure, or symbol.
- 4
One who has made an original grant of heritable property to a tenant or vassal, on condition of a certain annual payment (feu duty) or of the performance of certain services.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate superior?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of superior: sup..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Superior in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | supérieur |
| German | überlegen, höher, höherstehend, übergeordnet , ausgezeichnet , Vorgesetzter |
| Portuguese | superior |
| Spanish | superior |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does superior come from?
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French superiour, from Latin superior (“higher, upper”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).