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super

[soo-per]
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noun
  1. Informal.
    1. a superintendent, especially of an apartment house.
    2. supermarket.
    3. supernumerary.
    4. supervisor.
  2. an article of a superior quality, grade, size, etc.
  3. (in beekeeping) the portion of a hive in which honey is stored.
  4. Printing. supercalendered paper.
  5. Television. an additional image superimposed on the original video image: A super of the guest's name is included under the picture when the guest is introduced.
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adjective
  1. of the highest degree, power, etc.
  2. of an extreme or excessive degree.
  3. Informal. very good; first-rate; excellent.
  4. (of measurement) superficial.
  5. superfine.
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adverb
  1. Slang. very; extremely or excessively: super classy; a super large portion of food.
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Origin of super

1620–30; 1920–25 for def 8; independent use of super- (construed as an adj. or adv.), or shortening of words prefixed with it

super-

  1. a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, with the basic meaning “above, beyond.” Words formed with super- have the following general senses: “to place or be placed above or over” (superimpose; supersede), “a thing placed over or added to another” (superscript; superstructure; supertax), “situated over” (superficial; superlunary) and, more figuratively, “an individual, thing, or property that exceeds customary norms or levels” (superalloy; superconductivity; superman; superstar), “an individual or thing larger, more powerful, or with wider application than others of its kind” (supercomputer; superhighway; superpower; supertanker), “exceeding the norms or limits of a given class” (superhuman; superplastic), “having the specified property to a great or excessive degree” (supercritical; superfine; supersensitive), “to subject to (a physical process) to an extreme degree or in an unusual way” (supercharge; supercool; supersaturate), “a category that embraces a number of lesser items of the specified kind” (superfamily; supergalaxy), “a chemical compound with a higher proportion than usual of a given constituent” (superphosphate).
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Origin of super-

< Latin super (preposition and v. prefix) above, beyond, in addition, to an especially high degree; akin to Greek hypér (see hyper-), Sanskrit upari; see over

super.

  1. superintendent.
  2. superior.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for super

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The nature they portray is not human, but super- or subter-human, which you will.

    Another Sheaf

    John Galsworthy

  • It was only then that he realized this must be a super mech.

    Second Sight

    Basil Eugene Wells

  • That night he had begged Janith to let him rent a super mech.

    Second Sight

    Basil Eugene Wells

  • He was fighting desperately, his super mech's strength overtaxed.

    Second Sight

    Basil Eugene Wells

  • He wanted to call to the super and ask if at least he could buy the lantern.

British Dictionary definitions for super

super

adjective
  1. informal outstanding; exceptionally fine
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noun
  1. petrol with a high octane rating
  2. informal a superintendent or supervisor
  3. Australian and NZ informal superannuation benefits
  4. Australian and NZ informal superphosphate
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interjection
  1. British informal an enthusiastic expression of approval or assent
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Word Origin

from Latin: above

super-

prefix
  1. placed above or oversuperscript
  2. of greater size, extent, quality, etcsupermarket
  3. surpassing others; outstandingsuperstar
  4. beyond a standard or norm; exceeding or exceedinglysupersonic
  5. indicating that a chemical compound contains a specified element in a higher proportion than usualsuperoxide
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Word Origin

from Latin super above
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for super

adj.

"first-rate, excellent," 1837, from prefix in superfine (1682), denoting "highest grade of goods," from Latin 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.

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super-

word-forming element from Latin adverb and preposition super "above, over, on the top (of), beyond, besides, in addition to," from PIE *uper "over" (cf. Sanskrit upari, Avestan upairi "over, above, beyond," Greek hyper, Old English ofer "over," Gothic ufaro "over, across," Gaulish ver-, Old Irish for), comparative of root *upo "under."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
super in Medicine

super-

pref.
  1. Above; over; upon:superstructure.
  2. Superior in size, quality, number, or degree:supersonic.
  3. Exceeding a norm:supersaturate.
  4. Excessive in degree or intensity:superexcitation.
  5. Containing a specified ingredient in an unusually high proportion:superoxide.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.