- superfluous (adj.)
- early 15c. (earlier superflue, late 14c.), from Latin superfluus "unnecessary," literally "overflowing," from superfluere "to overflow," from super "over" (see super-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent).
- superfly (adj.)
- "excellent, superior," 1971, originally U.S. black slang, from super- + slang sense of fly (adj.).
- superhero (n.)
- 1917, from super- + hero.
- superhighway (n.)
- 1925, from super- + highway.
- superhuman (adj.)
- 1630s, from Medieval Latin superhumanus; see super- + human (adj.).
- superimpose (v.)
- 1794, from superimposition (1680s), from Latin superimponere from super- (see super-) + imponere "to place upon," from in- "into" + poser "put, place" (see pose (v.1)). Related: Superimposed; superimposing.
- superintend (v.)
- 1610s, from Church Latin superintendere (see superintendent). Related: Superintended; superintending.
- superintendence (n.)
- 1570s, from superintend + -ence.
- superintendent (n.)
- 1550s, originally an ecclesiastical word meaning "bishop" or "minister who supervises churches within a district" (a loan-translation of Greek episkopos "overseer"), from Medieval Latin superintendentem (nominative superintendens), from present participle of Late Latin superintendere "oversee," from Latin 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 1580s. 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 Old French superior, from Latin superiorem (nominative 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. Original sense was preserved more strongly in French (cf. les étages supérieur "the upper stories"), and in Lake Superior, a loan-translation of French Lac Supérieur, literally "upper lake" (it has the highest elevation of the five Great Lakes).
- superiority (n.)
- late 15c., from Old French superiorite or directly from Medieval Latin superioritas, from super "above, over" (see super-).
- superlative (adj.)
- late 14c., from Old French superlatif (13c.), from Late Latin superlativus "exaggerated, superlative," from Latin superlatus "exaggerated" (used as past participle of superferre "carry over or beyond"), from super "beyond" (see super-) + lat- "carry," from *tlat-, past participle stem of tollere "to take away" (see extol). The noun is attested from 1520s, originally in the grammatical sense.
- superman (n.)
- 1903, coined by George Bernard Shaw to translate German Übermensch, "highly evolved human being that transcends good and evil," from "Thus Spake Zarathustra" (1883-91), by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). First used in German by Hermann Rab (1520s), 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 (n.)
- 1933, American English, from super- + market (n.). The 1933 reference is in an article that says the stores themselves began to open around 1931.
- supermodel (n.)
- 1978, from super- + model (n.).
- supernal (adj.)
- mid-15c., "heavenly, divine," from Old French supernal (12c.), formed from Latin supernus "situated above, celestial" (from super "above, over;" see super-) as a contrast to infernal.
- supernatant (adj.)
- 1660s, from Latin supernatantem (nominative supernatans), present participle of supernatare "to swim above," from super (see super-) + natare "to swim," frequentative of nare "to swim" (see natatorium).
- supernatural (adj.)
- early 15c. "above nature, transcending nature, belonging to a higher realm," from Medieval Latin supernaturalis "above or beyond nature," from Latin super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature). Originally with more of a religious sense, "of or given by God, divine; heavenly;" association with ghosts, etc., has predominated since c.1799.
- supernatural (n.)
- 1580s, from supernatural (adj.).
- supernaturally (adv.)
- c.1500, "of or given by God, divine; heavenly," from supernatural (adj.) + -ly (2).
- supernova (n.)
- 1934, formed from super- + nova.
- supernumerary (adj.)
- c.1600, from Late Latin supernumarius "excessive in number" (of soldiers added to a full legion), from Latin super numerum "beyond the number," from super "beyond, over" (see super-) + numerum, accusative of numerus "number" (see number (n.)).
- superordinate (adj.)
- 1610s, on model of subordinate with super-.
- superposition (n.)
- 1650s, from French superposition, from Late Latin superpositionem (nominative superpositio), noun of action from past participle stem of superponere, from super (see super-) + ponere "to put, place" (see position).
- superpower (n.)
- 1944, in geopolitical sense of "nation with great interest and ability to exert force in worldwide theaters of conflict," from super- + power (n.). The word itself is attested in physical senses from 1922.
- supersaturated (adj.)
- 1794, past participle adjective from supersaturate (1788), from super- + saturate (v.).
- superscript (n.)
- late 14c. (implied in superscription), "address or direction on a letter," from Middle French superscript, from Latin superscriptus "written above," past participle 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 (v.)
- mid-15c., Scottish, "postpone, defer," from Middle French superceder "desist, delay, defer," from Latin 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. Related: Superseded; superseding.
- supersedeas (n.)
- writ to stay legal proceedings, Latin, literally "you shall desist," second person singular subjunctive of supersedare (see supersede).
- supersession (n.)
- 1650s, from Medieval Latin supersessionem (nominative supersessio), noun of action from past participle stem of supersedere (see supersede).
- supersonic (adj.)
- 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 (n.)
- 1925, in the sports and entertainment sense, from super- + star (n.).
- superstition (n.)
- early 13c., from Old French superstition or directly from Latin superstitionem (nominative superstitio), noun of action from superstare (see superstitious). Originally especially of religion; sense of "unreasonable notion" is from 1794.
- superstitious (adj.)
- late 14c., from Old French superstitieux, from Latin superstitiosus, from superstitionem (nominative superstitio) "prophecy, soothsaying, excessive fear of the gods," perhaps originally "state of religious exaltation," related to superstes (genitive 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 root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). There are many theories for the Latin sense development, but none has yet triumphed.
- superstructure (n.)
- 1640s, from super- + structure (n.).
- supertanker (n.)
- 1921, from super- + tanker.
- supervene (v.)
- 1590s (implied in supervenient), from Latin supervenire "come on top of," from super "over, upon" (see super-) + venire "come" (see venue).
- supervise (v.)
- 1580s, "to look over," from Medieval Latin supervisus, past participle of supervidere "oversee, inspect," from Latin super "over" (see super-) + videre "see" (see vision). Meaning "to oversee and superintend the work or performance of others" is attested from 1640s. Related: Supervised; supervising.
- supervision (n.)
- 1630s, from Medieval Latin supervisionem (nominative supervisio), noun of action from past participle stem of supervidere (see supervise).
- supervisor (n.)
- "one who inspects and directs the work of others," mid-15c., from Medieval Latin supervisor, agent noun from supervidere (see supervise).
- supervisory (adj.)
- 1828, from supervise + -ory.
- supinate (v.)
- 1831, from Latin supinatus, past participle of supinare, from supinus (see supine).
- supination (n.)
- 1660s, from Latin supinationem (nominative supinatio), noun of action from supinare (see supine).
- supine (adj.)
- c.1500, from Latin supinus "turned or thrown backwards, inactive, indolent," related to sub "under" (see sub-). The grammatical use for "Latin verbal noun formed from the past participle stem" is from Late Latin supinum verbum "supine verb," perhaps so called because, though furnished with a noun case ending, it "falls back" on the verb.
- supper (n.)
- late 13c., "the last meal of the day," from Old French super "supper," noun use of super "to eat the evening meal," which is of Germanic origin (see sup (v.1)).
Formerly, the last of the three meals of the day (breakfast, dinner, and supper); now applied to the last substantial meal of the day when dinner is taken in the middle of the day, or to a late meal following an early evening dinner. Supper is usually a less formal meal than late dinner. [OED]
Applied since c.1300 to the last meal of Christ. - supplant (v.)
- c.1300, "to trip up, overthrow, defeat, dispossess," from Old French supplanter "to trip up, overthrow," from Latin supplantare "trip up, overthrow," from sub "under" + planta "sole of the foot" (see plant (n.)). Meaning "replace one thing with another" first recorded 1670s. Interesting sense evolution parallel in Hebrew akabh "he beguiled," from akebh "heel."
- supple (adj.)
- c.1300, from Old French souple "pliant, flexible," from Gallo-Romance *supples, from Latin supplex (genitive supplicis) "submissive, humbly begging," literally "bending, kneeling down," thought to be an altered form of *supplacos "humbly pleading, appeasing," from sub "under" + placare "appease" (see placate).
- supplement (n.)
- late 14c., from Latin supplementum "something added to supply a deficiency," from supplere (see supply (v.)).
- supplement (v.)
- 1829, from supplement (n.). Related: Supplemented; supplementing.
- supplemental (adj.)
- c.1600, from supplement + -al (1). Related: Supplementally.