Su*pe"ri*or*ess, n. (Eccl.) A woman who acts as chief in a convent,
abbey, or nunnery; a lady superior.
Su*pe`ri*or"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. supériorité, LL. superioritas.] The
quality, state, or condition of being superior; as, superiority of
rank; superiority in merit.
Syn. -- Preëminence; excellence; predominancy; prevalence; ascendency;
odds; advantage.
Su*pe"ri*or*ly (?), adv. In a superior position or manner.
Su`per*ja"cent (?), a. [L. superjacens, p. pr. of superjacere; super
above + jacere to lie.] Situated immediately above; as, superjacent
rocks.
Su`per*la"tion (?), n. [L. superlatio. See Superlative.] Exaltation of
anything beyond truth or propriety. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
Su`per*la"tive (?), a. [L. superlativus, fr. superlatus excessive, used
as p. p. of superiorferre, but from a different root: cf. F.
superlatif. See Elate, Tolerate.] 1. Lifted up to the highest degree;
most eminent; surpassing all other; supreme; as, superlative wisdom or
prudence; a woman of superlative beauty; the superlative glory of the
divine character.
2. (Gram.) Expressing the highest or lowest degree of the quality,
manner, etc., denoted by an adjective or an adverb. The superlative
degree is formed from the positive by the use of -est, most, or least;
as, highest, most pleasant, least bright.
-- Su`per*la"tive*ly, adv. -- Su`per*la"tive*ness, n.
Su`per*la"tive, n. 1. That which is highest or most eminent; the utmost
degree.
2. (Gram.) (a) The superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs; also,
a form or word by which the superlative degree is expressed; as,
strongest, wisest, most stormy, least windy, are all superlatives.
Absolute superlative, a superlative in an absolute rather than in a
comparative or exclusive sense. See Elative.
Su`per*lu*cra"tion (?), n. [Pref. super- + L. lucratio gain.] Excessive
or extraordinary gain. [Obs.] Davenant.
{ Su`per*lu"nar (?), Su`per*lu"na*ry (?), } a. Being above the moon;
not belonging to this world; -- opposed to sublunary.
The head that turns at superlunar things.
Pope.
Su`per*ma*te"ri*al (?), a. Being above, or superior to, matter.
||Su`per*max*il"la (?), n. [NL. See Super-, and Maxilla.] (Anat.) The
||supermaxilla.
Su`per*max"il*la*ry (?), a. (Anat.) Supermaxillary.
Su`per*me"di*al (?), a. Above the middle.
Su`per*mun"dane (?), a. Being above the world; -- opposed to
inframundane. Cudworth.