English
superiority
Superiority comes from Latin superior ‘higher, upper’, from super ‘above, over’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *upér.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*upér‘over’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*super‘above’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuper‘above, over’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperior‘higher, upper’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500superioritas
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400superiorite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1941superiority
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*upér‘over’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*super‘above’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuper‘above, over’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuperior‘higher, upper’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500superioritas
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400superiorite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1941superiority
Earliest quotation: 1941, George Ryley Scott, London: T. Werner Laurie: “The fact that in most lands the moon was…”
Formed from superior + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *upér ‘over’
…
Latin super ‘above’
Latin superus ‘that is above, upper’
Latin superior ‘higher’
Old French superiour ‘superior’
English superior
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *upér ‘over’
through Proto-Italic *super ‘above’
supreme, summary, consummate, supra, summa, 15 more
through Latin super ‘above, over’
Today it means
noun The state of being superior.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *upér / superiority