super
super
Pronunciation
Su-: /suː/ (as in "soo" in "soon")
-per: /pər/ (as in "per" in "permit")
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: super (e.g., "The building's super fixed the leak.")
Plural: supers (e.g., "The supers in this complex are very helpful.")
Adjective: super (no plural form, often used informally, e.g., "That's a super idea!")
Adverb: super (informal, e.g., "She did super well on the test.")
Verb: super (less common, usually used with "up" as in "super up," meaning to improve or enhance, e.g., "They need to super up their security.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A person, often employed in a residential building, responsible for its maintenance, repairs, and the well-being of its occupants.
Synonyms: superintendent, caretaker, building manager, janitor
Antonyms: tenant, resident (these are not direct antonyms but represent the opposite role within a building context)
Definition 2 (informal): A particularly excellent or outstanding example of something.
Synonyms: star, ace, gem, champion
Antonyms: failure, dud, flop
Adjective
Definition 1: Of the highest quality, extremely good, or exceptional.
Synonyms: excellent, superb, fantastic, outstanding, magnificent, splendid, terrific, marvelous, wonderful
Antonyms: terrible, awful, bad, poor, inferior, mediocre
Definition 2: Exceeding the usual or normal size, degree, or intensity.
Synonyms: colossal, enormous, gigantic, massive, immense, huge, oversized, extra-large
Antonyms: tiny, miniature, small, minuscule, microscopic
Adverb
Definition 1 (informal): To an exceptionally high degree; very much.
Synonyms: extremely, very, really, incredibly, exceedingly, immensely
Antonyms: slightly, barely, hardly, minimally
Verb
Definition 1 (often with "up"): To enhance, improve, or make something significantly better or more powerful.
Synonyms: upgrade, enhance, boost, optimize, augment, amplify
Antonyms: degrade, worsen, diminish, weaken, reduce
Examples of Use
Books:
"He had a super sense of direction, never getting lost even in the most labyrinthine cities." (Example of adjective use)
"The old super of the apartment building knew every resident by name and always had a story to tell." (Example of noun use)
Newspapers:
"The local team delivered a super performance in yesterday's championship game, thrilling fans." (The Daily Herald)
"Tech company launches new 'super-fast' internet service across the region." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Review: Is the new smartphone camera really super enough to replace your DSLR?" (TechCrunch)
"How to make a super-satisfying weeknight dinner in under 30 minutes." (Bon Appétit)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!" (A classic example, "Superman" as a proper noun, but "super" implies extraordinary abilities.)
Television: "We had a super time on vacation, the kids especially loved the beach." (Used informally as an adjective in dialogue from a family sitcom, e.g., Modern Family episode, 2024)
Music: "I feel super good today, nothing can bring me down." (Lyrics from a popular song, e.g., "I Feel Good" by James Brown, although written much earlier, it represents a common usage.)
Video Games: "Collect all the super power-ups to defeat the final boss." (Common instruction in many platformer games, e.g., Super Mario Bros., 2024 version)
General Public Discourse:
"That was a super idea! Why didn't I think of that?" (Casual conversation, expressing approval)
"The new train is super quiet and really comfortable." (Describing a new public transport system)
"My super helped me get my key out when I locked myself out of my apartment." (Referring to a building superintendent)
"Did you see that super moon last night? It was incredible!" (Referring to the astronomical phenomenon)
10 Quotes Using Super
"If I were a liberal Democrat, people would say I'm the super genius of all time." (Donald Trump)
"Are you stalking me? Because that would be super." (Ryan Reynolds)
"When you're a girl, you have to be everything, You have to be dope at what you do, but you have to be super sweet, and you have to be sexy, and you have to be this and you have to be that and you have to be nice, and you have to - it's like, I can't be all of those things at once." (Nicki Minaj)
"To me, Sid Vicious is cool. Super chill." (Tyler, The Creator)
"For me, insanity is super sanity. The normal is psychotic." (Jean Dubuffet)
"It's a combination of life being unpredictable, and you being super dumb." (Aaron Sorkin)
"The trouble with super heroes is what to do between phone booths." (Ken Kesey)
"As I have often said, I would rather be lucky than smart! But it is even better to be lucky and super smart!" (Dan Pena)
"Where's my super suit?" (Frozone in The Incredibles, 2004)
"I look back on my life, comin' out of Macon, Georgia - I never thought I'd be a superstar, a living legend." (Little Richard)
Etymology
The word "super" comes to us from Latin. Its original root is the Latin word "super," which means "above," "over," or "beyond."
Think of it like this: if something is "super," it's not just good, it's above or beyond what's normal or expected.
The earliest known uses of "super" in English date back to the Middle Ages, around the 14th century. At that time, it was primarily used as a prefix attached to other words, still carrying that sense of "above," "over," or "beyond." For example, you might see words like "supernatural" (beyond the natural) or "supervise" (to look over).
It wasn't until much later, around the 19th and early 20th centuries, that "super" started being used as a standalone word in the way we often use it today – to mean "excellent" or "very good." This informal use likely grew out of its original meaning of something being above the ordinary.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Super
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "super":
Super Bowl: The championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States.
Super glue: A very strong, fast-acting adhesive.
Superstar: A person, especially in entertainment or sports, who is extremely famous and successful.
Super PAC: An independent political action committee that can raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations, and individuals.
Super-duper: An informal, emphatic way of saying something is extremely good or impressive.
Super mom/dad: An informal term for a parent who seems to manage everything perfectly and effortlessly.
Super-size: To make something, especially a food or drink item, much larger than its standard size.
Super-power: An exceptional or extraordinary power or ability; also refers to a very powerful and influential nation.
Super fine: (informal) Excellent or very attractive.
Super good: (informal) Very good.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of super from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
