English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

superior

adj

Higher in rank, quality, or status than another.

superiority

noun

The state or quality of being better, higher-ranking, or more advanced than others.

superiorness

noun

The quality of being better than others.

superlative

noun

The form of an adjective or adverb that expresses the highest degree, such as biggest, best or most carefully.

superman

noun

A man with extraordinary or seemingly superhuman abilities.

supermarket

noun

A large self-service shop selling food and household goods.

supermassive

adj

Extremely large in mass, especially describing black holes.

supermax

noun

A prison with the strictest, highest level of security.

supermaxi

noun

A very large racing sailing yacht, more than ninety feet long at the waterline.

supermodel

noun

A famous, highly paid fashion model.

supernatural

adj

Beyond what can be explained by the laws of nature, often attributed to spirits, gods, or magic.

supernova

noun

A massive star that explodes in a huge burst of brightness, leaving behind a neutron star, a black hole, or nothing at all.

supernumerary

noun

Someone who works alongside a group or office but is not one of its regular members.

superpower

noun

A nation with enormous global influence and military strength.

superpsyched

adj

(informal) Extremely excited about something.

supersaturated

adj

Containing more dissolved substance than would usually be possible.

supersede

verb

To take the place of something older or less effective, so that the earlier version is no longer used or valid.

supersonic

adj

Faster than the speed of sound.

superspy

noun

A highly important, glamorous spy.

superstar

noun

Someone extremely famous; a top-tier celebrity.

superstition

noun

A belief in supernatural forces or luck that isn't based on evidence or reason.

superstitious

adj

Believing in superstitions, especially about luck or omens.

superstore

noun

A very large shop that sells a huge range of goods.

superuser

noun

A computer user who has full control over the system and its settings.

supervacaneous

adj

(formal) Extra and not actually needed.

supervene

verb

To happen soon after something else, either as a result of it or in contrast to it.

supervillain

noun

A powerful, often supernaturally-abled criminal who serves as the main antagonist to a superhero.

supervise

verb

To oversee and direct people or a task.

supervised

adj

Carried out under someone's watchful oversight.

supervision

noun

The act of overseeing or directing work or people.

supervisor

noun

A person officially responsible for overseeing someone's work.

supervisory

adj

Relating to the role of supervising others.

supine

adjective

Lying flat on the back with the face turned upward.

supper

noun

A light meal eaten in the evening, sometimes shortly before bed.

suppertime

noun

The time in the evening when supper is eaten.

supping

noun

The act of eating an evening meal.

supplant

verb

To take over the position that something or someone else used to have.

supplanter

noun

A person or thing that takes the place of another.

supple

adj

Bending easily; flexible.

supplement

noun

Something added to make up for what's missing.

supplemental

adj

Serving to supplement something; additional.

supplementary

adj

Added to provide something extra that was needed.

suppleness

noun

The quality of bending and moving easily.

suppliant

adj

Asking for something humbly and earnestly.

supplicant

adj

Asking humbly for something, in a pleading way.

supplicate

verb

To ask someone, especially a person with power, for something in a humble way.

supplication

noun

The act of asking for something humbly and earnestly, especially in prayer to God; a request made in this way.

supplier

noun

A person or company that provides goods or materials.

supply

verb

To provide something needed.

support

noun

Help, encouragement or resources given to someone or something.

supportable

adj

Able to be held up, kept going, or backed with good reasons.

supported

adj

Held up, backed, or helped in some way.

supporter

noun

Someone who backs or helps another person or thing.

supporting

adj

Providing help or a secondary role.

supporting someone

verb phrase

Giving a person encouragement, sympathy and practical help so that they can cope with something difficult.

supportive

adj

Giving encouragement, help, or approval.

suppose

verb

To assume or believe something without full proof.

supposed

adj

Assumed or claimed to be true, though not confirmed.

supposedly

adv

According to what is claimed or believed, though not necessarily true.

supposing

conj

Used to introduce a hypothetical situation, meaning "if."

supposition

noun

An assumption made without full proof.

suppository

noun

A solid form of medicine inserted into the body, usually the rectum, where it dissolves.

suppress

verb

To forcibly put an end to something, such as a rebellion or protest.

suppressible

adj

Able to be stopped or held back.

suppressing

noun

The act of forcefully holding something back or putting a stop to it.

suppression

noun

The act of forcefully putting an end to something.

suppurate

verb

To produce or release pus.

suppuration

noun

The pus that forms as body tissue breaks down, or the breakdown itself.

supputate

verb

(old use) To work something out by calculating it.

supputation

noun

(old use) The process of working something out by counting or calculating.

suppute

verb

(old use) To work something out by calculating it.

supra

adv

(formal) Used to show that a source has already been mentioned earlier in the text.

supranational

adj

Covering or affecting more than one country, rather than just one nation on its own.

supremacy

noun

The state of having power or authority over all others.

supreme

adj

Having the highest power or authority; dominant over all others.

supremely

adv

To the highest possible degree.

sura

noun

A chapter of the Quran (one of 114).

Suraj

name

A male given name of Hindi origin, meaning "sun," used mainly by Hindus.

surcease

noun

(literary) A pause or stop, especially one that brings relief.

surcharge

noun

An extra amount added to the normal price or charge, usually to cover a specific cost such as fuel, card processing or peak demand.

surcharged

adj

Printed over with a different value, as on a stamp or banknote.

sure

adj

Certain or confident about something.

sure thing

interjection

Yes, of course; used as a relaxed, friendly way of agreeing to a request.

surely

adv

Without doubt; certainly.

sureness

noun

The quality of feeling certain about something.

Suresh

name

A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "ruler of the gods," an epithet of Indra.

surety

noun

A guarantee or promise, especially one to cover someone else's debt or obligation if they fail to pay it.

surf

noun

The foamy waves that break along a shoreline.

surface

noun

The outer or top layer of something.

surface tension

noun

The force that makes the surface of a liquid behave like a stretched elastic skin, caused by the molecules at the surface pulling more strongly on each other than on the air above.

surfaced

adj

Finished with a particular kind of outer layer or texture.

surfacing

noun

The material used to cover and finish an outer layer, such as a road or floor.

surfboard

noun

A long, buoyant board used for riding waves while standing.

surfeit

adj

(old use) Having eaten or had far too much of something.

surfer

noun

Someone who rides waves on a surfboard.

Surfers

name

Short form of Surfers Paradise, a popular beach resort suburb on Australia's Gold Coast.

surfing

noun

The sport of riding ocean waves on a board.

surge

noun

A sudden, powerful increase or rush.

surgeon

noun

A doctor who performs operations involving cutting into the body.

surgery

noun

A medical operation that involves cutting into the body to treat an illness or injury.

surgical

adj

Relating to or used in surgery.

surgically

adv

By means of surgery, or with extreme precision.

surging

noun

The act of rising or increasing suddenly and powerfully.

Suri

name

A feminine given name used in several cultures, including as a short form derived from Hebrew "Sarah."

surliness

noun

The quality of being bad-tempered and unfriendly.

surly

adj

Bad-tempered, unfriendly, and rude in manner.

surmise

verb

To guess or conclude something without solid proof.

surmount

verb

To pass or lie above something without touching or resting on it; to overcome.

surmountable

adj

Possible to deal with or get past.

surmounting

noun

The act of successfully dealing with or getting past a problem.

surname

noun

A person's family name, usually shared with relatives and passed down through generations.

surpass

verb

To do better than, or go beyond, someone or something.

surpassing

adj

Outstanding or better than everything else of its kind.

surplice

noun

A liturgical vestment of the Christian Church in the form of a tunic of white linen or cotton material, with wide or moderately wide sleeves, reaching to the hips or knees, usually featuring lace decoration and embroidered bordures.

surplus

noun

An amount left over after what is needed has been used; an excess.

surplusage

noun

(formal) An amount that is more than what is needed.

surprise

noun

Something unexpected, or the feeling caused by it.

surprised

adj

Feeling or showing astonishment at something unexpected.

surprising

adj

Causing a feeling of surprise; unexpected.

surprisingly

adv

In a way that is unexpected or astonishing.

surreal

adj

Strange and dreamlike, in a way that feels unreal or bizarre.

surrealism

noun

An early 20th-century art movement that explored dreams, the subconscious, and irrational imagery.

surrealist

adj

Relating to surrealism or having a similarly dreamlike, bizarre quality.

surrender

verb

To stop fighting or resisting and give oneself up to an opponent.

surrendering

noun

The act of giving up or submitting to someone else's control.

surreptitious

adj

Done secretly and quietly so that other people do not notice.

surreptitiously

adv

In a secret and quiet way, so that other people do not notice.

Surrey

noun

A light, open carriage with two facing forward-facing bench seats, originally pulled by a horse; also used loosely for a similarly styled small motorized vehicle.

surrogacy

noun

The practice of carrying and giving birth to a child on behalf of another person or couple.

surrogate

noun

A person or thing that substitutes for another.

surrogatum

noun

(formal) Something used in place of another thing.

surround

verb

To be positioned on all sides of something; to encircle.

surrounding

noun

An area or environment close to or around something.

surroundings

noun

The area, objects, and conditions around a person or place; an environment.

surrounds

noun

The area or things bordering or close to something; surroundings.

surry

name

The name of a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States.

surtitle

noun

A translation of a segment of the libretto or other text or sometimes a brief summary of the plot projected onto a screen above the stage during a performance of an opera or other similar performance sung in a foreign language; a supertitle.

surveil

verb

To watch someone or something closely, often secretly.

surveillance

noun

Close, ongoing observation of a person, group, or place, especially to gather information or watch for wrongdoing.

survey

noun

A set of questions used to gather information or opinions from a group of people.

surveying

noun

The science and practice of measuring land — working out exact positions, distances, and boundaries.

surveyor

noun

Someone whose job is to measure land and mark out exact boundaries and positions.

survivable

adj

Possible to live through or come through safely.

survival

noun

The act or fact of staying alive, especially through danger or difficulty.

survival of the fittest

noun phrase

The principle that the organisms best suited to their environment are the ones most likely to live long enough to reproduce and pass on their traits.

survive

verb

To stay alive, especially after facing danger, illness, or hardship.

surviving

adj

Still alive or still existing.

survivor

noun

A person who lives through a dangerous or traumatic event.

Surya

name

A given name of Sanskrit origin, also the name of the Hindu sun god.

Sus

adj

Suspicious; looking or feeling questionable (informal slang).