Etymologically
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super

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Pronunciation

Forms

super (invariable)[1]

Etymology

It is the prefix super- used as an independent word, “of the highest quality”.[2][3][4][5] The prefix is from Latin super (“over, above”), and Devoto–Oli, Treccani and Wiktionary derive the word directly from it.[6][7][1] The inherited outcome of the Latin word is sopra.[1][8]

The Latin word goes back to Proto-Italic *super and Proto-Indo-European *upér (“over, above”), and its cognates include Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér), Sanskrit उपरि (upári) and Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂 (ufar); the initial /s/ is a Latin addition, as in sub.[9][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

GRADIT's first record is Giovanni Testori's Il dio di Roserio of 1954, as an invariable adjective “excellent, of superior quality”, placed after the noun.[10][3] Zingarelli dates it to 1936, and DELI only to 1960.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

From 1960 it also stood alone, as a feminine noun, for benzina super, high-octane petrol;[2][7] Treccani notes that this fuel is no longer sold for cars.[2][7] As a masculine noun it rarely means “the very best, the non plus ultra”, as in Palazzeschi.[6][5] In labour contracts it marks a grade just below the next category, as in quadri super.[11] In colloquial use it means “great, terrific”, of a party, a trip or a book.[10][4]

Timeline

  • 1936 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.[5]
  • 1954 – Giovanni Testori uses super in Il dio di Roserio.[10]
  • 1960 – Super “high-octane petrol” is recorded.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. (invariable, after the noun) Of top quality, excellent: un olio super.[10][6][5]
  2. (colloquial) Great, terrific: È stata una gita super.[10][6][4]

Noun

  1. (feminine) Premium petrol, benzina super: Ho messo trenta litri di super.[10][6][4][5]
  2. (masculine, uncommon) The very best, the utmost.[10][6][5]

Usage notes

Super is also a shortening of superfosfato, superphosphate fertiliser,[10][1] and colloquially of supermercato, “supermarket”.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Cortelazzo, Manlio; Zolli, Paolo (1999), Dizionario etimologico della lingua italiana, 2nd ed. by Manlio Cortelazzo and Michele A. Cortelazzo, Bologna: Zanichelli
  3. ^ a b Nocentini, Alberto; Parenti, Alessandro (2010), l'Etimologico: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Firenze: Le Monnier
  4. ^ a b c d Sabatini, Francesco; Coletti, Vittorio; Manfredini, Manuela (2026), Dizionario italiano Sabatini Coletti, digital ed., Milano: Sansoni / Rizzoli Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Zingarelli, Nicola (2009), Lo Zingarelli 2010: vocabolario della lingua italiana, Bologna: Zanichelli
  6. ^ a b c d e f Devoto, Giacomo; Oli, Gian Carlo; Serianni, Luca; Trifone, Maurizio (2026), Nuovo Devoto–Oli: il vocabolario dell'italiano contemporaneo, digital ed., Milano: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c d Vocabolario della lingua italiana Treccani (2011), Roma: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana
  8. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  9. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h De Mauro, Tullio (ed.) (2003), Grande dizionario italiano dell'uso, CD-ROM version 2.0, Torino: UTET
  11. ^ Battaglia, Salvatore; Bàrberi Squarotti, Giorgio (1961–2002), Grande dizionario della lingua italiana, 21 vols., Torino: UTET; digital ed. Accademia della Crusca