superiore Italian · revision 38506

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1348–1353, Boccaccio|origins=la super}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /su.peˈrjo.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''superiore''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural superiori)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian also wrote [[m|roa-oit|soperiore]] and [[roa-oit|supperiore]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a learned word, [[bor|la|superior|t=higher]], the comparative of [[m|la|superus|t=that is above, upper]], from [[m|la|super|t=above]], with the comparative suffix [[m|la|-ior]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) Devoto describes “superior” as a comparative built again on “superus”, which already had a contrastive sense.^(Devoto 1968) The same Latin word gave [[fr|supérieur]] and [[es|superior]].^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ Latin “super” goes back to Proto-Italic [[m|itc-pro|*super]] and Proto-Indo-European [[m|ine-pro|*upér|alt=*(h₁)uper(i)|t=over, above]], with an ⟨s⟩ added in Latin as in [[m|la|sub]]; it is related to [[grc|ὑπέρ|tr=hupér]], [[sa|उपरि|tr=upári]] and [[goh|ubir]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the word to Boccaccio's ''Decameron'' (1348–1353), and DELI dates the noun “person of higher rank” to Boccaccio in 1353; in one tale of the ''Decameron'' a speaker says he was sent by his ''superiore'' to the lands where the sun rises.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Boccaccio also used it for “previous, mentioned above” (before 1375).^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The religious superior, who governs a community, is recorded, perhaps in the 14th century, in a translation of St Bernard, and the word was already used in civil administration in the 14th century; at Urbino in 1677 it was the title of the highest local magistrate, and at Venice in 1485 of a senior judge of appeal.^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|3679) The feminine ''superiora'' for a mother superior first appears in Manzoni's ''Fermo e Lucia'' (1821–1823); in 1829 a grammarian conceded that the correct ''la superiore'' could not be imposed on common usage.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ The sense “of greater quality or ability” is recorded before 1405 (Filippo Villani), “placed higher” before 1555 (Pierfrancesco Giambullari), “above petty things” in 1656–1666 (Sforza Pallavicino), “higher in a hierarchy” in 1804 and “greater in number” in 1904.^(DELI 1999) Its use for a haughty, disdainful attitude was noted as a neologism in 1886, although Manzoni had written ''superiore d'animo'' in 1827.^(DELI 1999) ''Superiorità'' is first recorded in Leon Battista Alberti (before 1472) and comes from Medieval Latin ''superioritas''.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1348–1353 – Boccaccio uses ''superiore'' in the ''Decameron''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1405 – Filippo Villani uses it for greater quality or ability.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1472 – Leon Battista Alberti has ''superiorità''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1485 – At Venice ''superiore'' is the title of a senior judge.^(DEI|3679)

+ * Before 1555 – Pierfrancesco Giambullari uses it for “placed higher”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1804 – The sense “higher in a hierarchy” is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1821–1823 – Manzoni uses ''superiora'' in ''Fermo e Lucia''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1886 – The sense “disdainful, aloof” is recorded as a neologism.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|upper]], higher, placed above: ''Abitano al piano superiore al nostro.'', ''arti superiori'', the arms; of a river, nearer the source.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Greater in height, size, quantity, number or intensity (with ''a''): ''un'altezza superiore ai due metri''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Of better quality, [[m|en|first-rate]]: ''un vino di qualità superiore''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Having greater ability or worth than others; exceptional: ''si crede superiore a tutti'', ''essere superiore'' to something, to rise above it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # Going beyond a limit: ''un risultato superiore alle attese''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # Higher in a social or administrative scale: ''ceti superiori'', ''scuola superiore'', secondary school (''le superiori''); ''istruzione superiore'', university education, ''ufficiali superiori'', the field officers.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(history)'' Of a Roman province, the part nearer Rome: ''Gallia superiore''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|superior]], someone of higher rank in a hierarchy: ''Ha chiesto il permesso al suo superiore.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # The head of a religious community; also as an adjective, ''padre superiore''.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(prison slang)'' A warder.^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[superiora]]

+ * [[superiorità]]

+ * [[superiormente]]

+ * [[superiorato]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sopra]]

+ * [[supremo]]

+ * [[superare]]

+ * [[inferiore]]

+ * [[la|superior]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Treccani notes that ''superiore'' is also treated in Italian as a comparative of [[alto]], as ''inferiore'' is of ''basso''.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}