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
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Great Gatsby
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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
He writes like a supercilious bully, throwing a tantrum on the page when confronted with a policy or argument he dislikes.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2025
LB has few prospects — and certainly is not interested in pompous developer Darcy Wong, who is as supercilious as he is wealthy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2023
Among other things, it explains the remarkably supercilious attitude Kakes has displayed toward even senior West Ham officials — including, especially, Nate.
From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023
There it was again, that mysterious smile, sad and supercilious at the same time.
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
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.
