Online Etymology Dictionary

sun (v.): 1519, "to set something in the sun," from sun (n.). Meaning "to expose oneself to the sun" is recorded from 1610. Sun-bathing is attested from 1600. Sun-tan (v.) is recorded from 1821; the noun is first attested 1904. Sunburn (v.) is from sunne y-brent (c.1400).
sundae: 1897, Amer.Eng. thought to be an alteration of Sunday, perhaps re-spelled in deference to religious feelings; but the reason for the name is uncertain; perhaps "ice cream left over from Sunday, on sale later." For a fuller account of the speculations, see H.L. Mencken, "The American Language," Supplement I (1945), pp.376-7.
Sunday: O.E. Sunnandæg, lit. "day of the sun," from sunnan, oblique case of sunne "sun" + dæg "day," from a W.Gmc. loan-translation of L. dies solis "day of the sun," which is itself a loan-translation of Gk. hemera heliou. Cf. O.N. sunnundagr, Ger. Sonntag "Sunday." Like other weekday names, not regularly capitalized until 17c. Sunday school dates from 1783 (originally for secular instruction); Sunday clothes is from 1642. Sunday driver is from 1925.
sunder: O.E. sundrian, from sundor "separately, apart," from P.Gmc. *sunder (cf. O.N. sundr, O.Fris. sunder, O.H.G. suntar "aside, apart"), from PIE base *sen(e)- denoting "separation" (cf. Skt. sanutar "far away," Avestan hanare "without," Gk. ater "without," L. sine "without," O.C.S. svene "without," O.Ir. sain "different").
sundog: "mock sun, parhelion," 1653, of obscure origin.
sundry: O.E. syndrig "separate, apart, special," related to sundor "separately" (see sunder). Phrase all and sundry first recorded 1389; sundries "odds and ends" is first found 1755.
sunfish: 1629, from sun (n.) + fish. Used of various species, with ref. to round shape or brilliant appearance. Short form sunny is attested from 1835.
sunflower: 1562, "heliotrope;" in ref. to the helianthus (introduced to Europe 1510 from America by the Spaniards) it is attested from 1597.
Sunni: 1626, from Arabic, lit. "lawful," from Sunna "traditional teachings of Muhammad," lit. "way, custom, course, tradition." Muslims who accept the orthodox tradition as well as the Quran.
sunny: "full of sun," c.1300, from sun (n.). Fig. sense of "cheerful" is attested from 1545.
sunshine: mid-13c., from sun (n.) + shine. Sunshine law in reference to U.S. open meeting legislation is recorded from 1972, from the notion of shining the light of public access on deliberations formerly held behind closed doors.
sunstroke: 1851, from Fr. coup de soleil.
sup (1): "eat the evening meal," late 13c., from O.Fr. super, which probably is from soupe "broth" (see soup), until recently still the traditional evening meal of French workers.
sup (2): "sip," O.E. supan (W.Saxon), suppan, supian (Northumbrian) "to sip, swallow," from P.Gmc. *supanan (cf. O.N. supa "to sip, drink," M.L.G. supen, Du. zuipen "to drink, tipple, booze," O.H.G. sufan, Ger. saufen "to drink, booze"), from PIE *sub-, from base *seue- "to take liquid" (cf. Skt. sunoti "presses out juice," soma; Avestan haoma, Pers. hom "juice;" Gk. huetos "rain," huein "to rain;" L. sugere "to suck," succus "juice, sap;" Lith. sula "flowing sap;" O.C.S. soku "sap," susati "suck;" M.Ir. suth "sap;" O.E. seaw "sap").
super: "first-rate, excellent," 1837, from prefix in superfine (1682), denoting "highest grade of goods," from L. super "above, over, beyond" (see super-). Extended usage as a general term of approval is 1895 slang, revived 1960s. Rhyming reduplication form super-duper first attested 1940.
super-: from L. adverb and preposition super "above, over, on the top (of), beyond, besides, in addition to," from PIE base *uper "over" (cf. Skt. upari, Avestan upairi "over, above, beyond," Gk. hyper, O.E. ofer "over," Goth. ufaro "over, across," Gaul. ver-, O.Ir. for), comparative of base *upo "under."
superable: "surmountable," 1629, from L. superabilis "that may be overcome," from superare "to overcome," from super "over" (see super-) + -abilis (see -able). The negative formation insuperable is older and more common and this may be a back-formation.
superannuated: "retired on account of old age," 1633, "obsolete, out of date," from M.L. superannuatus "more than a year old" (of cattle), from L. super "beyond, over" (see super-) + annus "year" (see annual).
superb: 1540s, "noble, magnificent" (of buildings, monuments, etc.), from L. superbus "grand, proud, sumptuous," from super "above, over" (see super-). The second element probably is from PIE base *bhe- "to be." General sense of "very fine" developed by 1729.
supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: from song in 1964 Disney movie version of "Mary Poppins;" subject of a lawsuit based on earlier song title "Supercalafajalistickexpialadojus" (1949), but other versions of the word also were in circulation.
supercede: see supersede.
supercharge (v.): 1919, originally of internal combustion engines, from super- + past tense of charge (v.).
supercilious: 1529, from L. superciliosus "haughty, arrogant," from supercilium "haughty demeanor, pride," lit. "eyebrow" (via notion of raising the eyebrow to express haughtiness), from super "above" (see super-) + cilium "eyelid," related to celare "to cover, hide," from PIE base *kel- "to conceal" (see cell).
superconductor: 1913, translation of Du. suprageleider, coined by Du. physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926).
superego: that part of the psyche which controls the impulses of the id," 1924, as a translation of Ger. über-Ich; see super- and ego.
supererogation: 1526, "the doing of more than duty requires," in Catholic theology, from L.L. supererogationem (nom. supererogatio) "a payment in addition," from supererogatus, pp. of supererogare "pay or do additionally," from L. super "above, over" (see super-) + erogare "pay out," from ex- "out" + rogare "ask, request" (see rogation).
superficial: c.1420, "of or relating to a surface," from L. superficialis "of or pertaining to the surface," from superficies "surface," from super "above, over" (see super-) + facies "form, face" (see face (n.)). Meaning "not deep or thorough" (of perceptions, thoughts, etc.) first recorded c.1530.
superfluous: c.1380 (superflue), from L. superfluus "unnecessary," lit. "overflowing," from superfluere "to overflow," from super "over" (see super-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent).
superfly: "excellent, superior," 1971, originally U.S. black slang, from super- + slang sense of fly (see fly (v.)).
superhighway: 1925, from super- + highway.
superimpose: 1794, from superimposition (1684), from L. superimponere from super- (see super-) + imponere "to place upon," from in- "into" + poser "put, place."
superintendent: 1554, originally an ecclesiastical word meaning "bishop" or "minister who supervises churches within a district" (a loan-translation of Gk. episkopos "overseer"), from M.L. superintendentem (nom. superintendens), from prp. of L.L. superintendere "oversee," from L. super "above" (see super-) + intendere "turn one's attention, direct" (see intend). Famously used by 16c. radical Protestants in place of bishop, which was to them tainted by Papacy.
"[Martinists] studie to pull downe Bishopps, and set vp Superintendents, which is nothing else, but to raze out good Greeke, & enterline bad Latine." [Lyly, "Pappe with an Hatchet," 1589]
The general sense of "a person who has charge of some business" is first recorded 1588. Meaning "janitor, custodian" is from c.1935. Shortened form super first attested 1857, especially at first of overseers of sheep ranches in Australia.
superior (adj.): late 14c., "higher in position," from O.Fr. superior, from L. superiorem (nom. superior) "higher," comparative of superus "situated above, upper," from super "above, over" (see super-). Meaning "higher in rank or dignity" is attested from late 15c.; sense of "of a higher nature or character" is attested from 1530s. Noun meaning "person of higher rank" is attested from late 15c.
superlative (adj.): late 14c., from O.Fr. superlatif (13c.), from L.L. superlativus "exaggerated, superlative," from L. superlatus "exaggerated" (used as pp. of superferre "carry over or beyond"), from super "beyond" (see super-) + lat- "carry," from *tlat-, pp. stem of tollere "to take away" (see extol). The noun is attested from 1530, originally in the grammatical sense.
superman: 1903, coined by George Bernard Shaw to translate Ger. Übermensch, "highly evolved human being that transcends good and evil," from "Thus Spake Zarathustra" (1883-91), by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). First used in Ger. by Hermann Rab (1527), and also used by Herder and Goethe. Translated as overman (1895) and beyond-man (1896) before Shaw got it right in his play title "Man and Superman" (1903). Application to comic strip hero is from 1938.
"So was created ... Superman! champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who had sworn to devote his existence to helping those in need!" ["Action Comics," June 1, 1938]
Superwoman first recorded 1976 in the sense of "one who combines career and motherhood."
supermarket: 1933, Amer.Eng., from super- + market. The 1933 reference is in an article that says the stores themselves began to open around 1931.
supermodel: 1979, from super- + model.
supernal: 1447, "heavenly, divine," from O.Fr. supernal (12c.), formed from L. supernus "situated above, celestial" (from super "above, over;" see super-) as a contrast to infernal.
supernatural (adj.): mid-15c. (implied in supernaturally), "above nature, transcending nature, belonging to a higher realm," from M.L. supernaturalis "above or beyond nature," from L. super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature). Originally with more of a religious sense; association with ghosts, etc., has predominated since c.1799. The noun is attested from 1580s.
supernova: 1934, formed from super- + nova.
supernumerary: 1605, from L.L. supernumarius "excessive in number" (of soldiers added to a full legion), from L. super numerum "beyond the number," from super "beyond, over" (see super-) + numerum, accusative of numerus "number" (see number).
superpower: 1944, in geopolitical sense of "nation with great interest and ability to exert force in worldwide theaters of conflict," from super- + power. The word itself is attested in physical senses from 1922.
superscript: 1390 (implied in superscription), "address or direction on a letter," from M.Fr. superscript, from L. superscriptus "written above," pp. of superscribere "write over or above something as a correction," from super "above" (see super-) + scribere "write" (see script). Meaning "number or letter written above something" first recorded 1901.
supersede: mid-15c., Scottish, "postpone, defer," from M.Fr. superceder "desist, delay, defer," from L. supersedere "sit on top of, stay clear of, abstain from, forbear, refrain from," from super "above" (see super-) + sedere "to sit" (see sedentary). In Scottish law, a judicial order protecting a debtor. Meaning "displace, replace" first recorded 1640s.
supersedeas: writ to stay legal proceedings, 1393, from L., lit. "you shall desist," second person sing. subjunctive of supersedare (see supersede).
supersonic: 1919, "of or having to do with sound waves beyond the limit of human hearing," from super- + sonic. Attested from 1934 in sense of "exceeding the speed of sound" (especially as a measure of aircraft speed), leaving the original sense to ultrasonic (1923).
superstar: 1925, in the sports and entertainment sense, from super- + star.
superstitious: late 14c., from O.Fr. superstitieux, from L. superstitiosus, from superstitionem (nom. superstitio) "prophecy, soothsaying, excessive fear of the gods," perhaps originally "state of religious exaltation," related to superstes (gen. superstitis) "standing over or above," also "standing by, surviving," from superstare "stand on or over, survive," from super "above" (see super-) + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). There are many theories for the L. sense development, but none has yet triumphed. Superstition is attested from 1402. In Eng., originally especially of religion; sense of "unreasonable notion" is from 1794.
superstructure: c.1645, from super- + structure.
supertanker: 1921, from super- + tanker (see tank).