superpose
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to place above or upon something else, or one upon another.
-
Geometry. to place (one figure) in the space occupied by another, so that the two figures coincide throughout their whole extent.
verb
-
geometry to transpose (the coordinates of one geometric figure) to coincide with those of another
-
a rare word for superimpose
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of superpose
From the French word superposer, dating back to 1815–25. See super-, pose 1
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.
See Examples For:
But in this fickle and aberrated mind ideas superpose themselves on each other, then pass away, and those which disappear leave their shadow on those which follow.
From Là-bas by Keene Wallace
To put over or upon; as to superpose one rock upon another.
From Orthography As Outlined in the State Course of Study for Illinois by Elmer W. Cavins
This the roving waves bore over the submerged and now peaty forests, and deposited above them the elements of rocks which were to superpose the coal strata.
From The Underground City, or, the Child of the Cavern by Jules Verne
Now it is the same thing with symmetric spherical triangles; we cannot superpose them.
From The Teaching of Geometry by David Eugene Smith
In a general way, measuring is a wholly human operation, which implies that we really or ideally superpose two objects one on another a certain number of times.
From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell
Like entanglement, the superposed states essential to its power are fragile, collapsing when measured or otherwise perturbed by the outside world.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 3, 2021
This is further supported by the dust lanes superposed on the host nucleus17, 61.
From Nature ● Oct. 15, 2017
Those superposed probabilities can, moreover, rise and fall with time.
From Economist ● Jun. 18, 2015
The Rydberg atom transferred its superposed state to the resident electromagnetic field, putting it into a superposition of two different phase, or vibrational, states.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 9, 2012
This is particularly striking when two gratings or even two ordinary fly-screens are superposed.
From Visual Illusions Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications by Matthew Luckiesh
When they do so, the pairs start behaving like a single particle, superposing proclivities and all.
From Economist ● Feb. 23, 2012
The melodies emerged from the symphonic depths, developing, interrupting, superposing, mingling, melting into one another, dissolving, disappearing to again appear.
From The Literature of Ecstasy by Albert Mordell
A stack of pulled cotton is formed by superposing thin layers from different bales, and when completed the cotton is drawn from top to bottom of the stack.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 5 "Cosway" to "Coucy" by Various
As the need for this diminished, two large additional rooms were gained by raising the central wall a story, and superposing a flat, lead roof.
From Memorials of Old London Volume I by P. H. (Peter Hampson) Ditchfield
All such wave-motions can be produced by superposing a number of simple wave forms.
From The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) A Plain Story Simply Told by J. Arthur Thomson
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
