1 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE In Britain, a superintendent is a senior police officer of the rank above an inspector. In the United States, a superintendent is the head of a police department. □ He was stopped at the airport by an assistant superintendent of police. □ …Detective Superintendent Kirby.
2 N‑COUNT A superintendent is a person who is responsible for a particular thing or the work done in a particular department. □ [+ of ] He became superintendent of the bank's East African branches.
3 N‑COUNT A superintendent is a person whose job is to look after a large building such as a school or a block of flats and deal with small repairs to it. [AM ] in BRIT, use caretaker
su|peri|or ◆◇◇ /suːp I ə riə r / (superiors )
1 ADJ If one thing or person is superior to another, the first is better than the second. □ [+ to ] We have a relationship infinitely superior to those of many of our friends. □ Long-term stock market investments have produced superior returns compared with cash deposits. ● su|peri|or|ity N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ over/to ] He asserts the superiority of free enterprise over other economic systems.
2 ADJ If you describe something as superior , you mean that it is good, and better than other things of the same kind. □ A few years ago it was virtually impossible to find superior quality coffee in local shops. □ Lulu was said to be of very superior intelligence.
3 ADJ A superior person or thing is more important than another person or thing in the same organization or system. □ …negotiations between the mutineers and their superior officers. [Also + to ]
4 N‑COUNT Your superior in an organization that you work for is a person who has a higher rank than you. □ Other army units are completely surrounded and cut-off from communication with their superiors.
5 ADJ If you describe someone as superior , you disapprove of them because they behave as if they are better, more important, or more intelligent than other people. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Finch gave a superior smile. ● su|peri|or|ity N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ over ] …a false sense of his superiority over mere journalists.
6 ADJ If one group of people has superior numbers to another group, the first has more people than the second, and therefore has an advantage over it. [FORMAL ] □ The demonstrators fled when they saw the authorities' superior numbers. SYNONYMS superior ADJ 2
first-rate: People who used his service knew they were dealing with a first-rate professional.
exclusive: He is already a member of Britain's most exclusive club.
exceptionaclass="underline" Her translation is exceptional in its poetic quality.
world-class: He was determined to become a world-class player.
outstanding: He was outstanding at tennis and golf.
su|peri|or|ity /suːp I ə riɒ r I ti, [AM ] -ɔː r I ti/
1 N‑UNCOUNT If one side in a war or conflict has superiority , it has an advantage over its enemy, for example because it has more soldiers or better equipment. [FORMAL ] □ The U.S. will need a three-to-one superiority in forces to be sure of a successful attack. □ We have air superiority. [Also + over/in ]
2 → see also superior
super|la|tive /suːpɜː r lət I v/ (superlatives )
1 ADJ If you describe something as superlative , you mean that it is extremely good. □ Some superlative cheeses are made in this region. □ The Regent hotel has a superlative view of Hong Kong island.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] If someone uses superlatives to describe something, they use adjectives and expressions which indicate that it is extremely good. □ …a spectacle which has critics world-wide reaching for superlatives.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] In grammar, the superlative form of an adjective or adverb is the form that indicates that something has more of a quality than anything else in a group. For example, 'biggest' is the superlative form of 'big'. Compare comparative . ● N‑COUNT Superlative is also a noun. □ …his tendency towards superlatives and exaggeration.
super|man /suː pə r mæn/ (supermen ) N‑COUNT A superman is a man who has very great physical or mental abilities. □ Collor nurtured the idea that he was a superman, who single-handedly could resolve Brazil's crisis.
super|mar|ket ◆◇◇ /suː pə r mɑː r k I t/ (supermarkets ) N‑COUNT A supermarket is a large shop which sells all kinds of food and some household goods. □ Most of us do our food shopping in the supermarket.
super|mini /suː pə r m I ni/ (superminis ) also super-mini N‑COUNT A supermini is a small car which has been designed to be comfortable and easy to drive.
super|model /suː pə r mɒd ə l/ (supermodels ) N‑COUNT A supermodel is a very famous fashion model.
super|natu|ral /suː pə r næ tʃrəl/ ADJ Supernatural creatures, forces, and events are believed by some people to exist or happen, although they are impossible according to scientific laws. □ The Nakani were evil spirits who looked like humans and possessed supernatural powers. □ …supernatural beings. ● N‑SING The supernatural is things that are supernatural. □ He writes short stories with a touch of the supernatural.
super|no|va /suː pə r noʊ və/ (supernovas or supernovae /suː pə r noʊ viː/) N‑COUNT A supernova is an exploding star. □ At least one supernova occurs per decade in our galaxy.
super|pow|er /suː pə r paʊə r / (superpowers ) N‑COUNT A superpower is a very powerful and influential country, usually one that is rich and has nuclear weapons. □ The country could claim to be both a military and an economic superpower.