supercilious
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of supercilious
First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin superciliōsus; see supercilium, -ous
Explanation
Supercilious people think very highly of themselves, more highly than of others. If your sister tends to act snobby and superior, you can describe her as supercilious. You might expect Nobel Prize winners to be supercilious — after all, they've reached the very heights of their profession. But one-on-one, your famous physics professor might be humble and fun to talk to, anything but supercilious. Most often, it's people who have no right to be arrogant, rude, and holier-than-thou who behave in the most supercilious ways. The Latin root supercilium means "haughty demeanor," but also "eyebrow" — as in an eyebrow raised in a haughty, supercilious expression.
Vocabulary lists containing supercilious
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The Great Gatsby
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Most memorable is the exit of Pozzo and Lucky that finds Pozzo slowly pushing Lucky in his wheelchair—illustrating the idea that there remains a bedrock of humanity even in this supercilious boor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2025
Aldridge’s Stanley is as obtuse as he is supercilious, a dangerous combination for Francis and a hilarious one for us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025
He accused her comments of being "supercilious lectures from someone who thinks they are superior on these issues".
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2025
But they are united in their certainty that their decisions, not the gripes of some supercilious state legislators, are the law of the land.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2023
The innkeeper glanced from his paper and gave us a supercilious up-and-down look.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
