super

1 of 4

adjective

su·​per ˈsü-pər How to pronounce super (audio)
1
a
: of high grade or quality
b
used as a generalized term of approval
a super cook
2
: very large or powerful
a super atomic bomb
3
: exhibiting the characteristics of its type to an extreme or excessive degree
super secrecy

super

2 of 4

noun

1
[by shortening]
a
: supernumerary
especially : a supernumerary actor
b
: superintendent, supervisor
especially : the superintendent of an apartment building
2
[short for obsolete superhive] : a removable upper story of a beehive
3
[super entry 1] : a superfine grade or extra large size
4
[origin unknown] : a thin loosely woven open-meshed starched cotton fabric used especially for reinforcing books

super

3 of 4

adverb

1
: very, extremely
a super fast car
2
: to an excessive degree

super-

4 of 4

prefix

1
a(1)
: over and above : higher in quantity, quality, or degree than : more than
superhuman
(2)
: in addition : extra
supertax
b(1)
: exceeding or so as to exceed a norm
superheat
(2)
: in or to an extreme or excessive degree or intensity
supersubtle
c
: surpassing all or most others of its kind
superhighway
2
a
: situated or placed above, on, or at the top of
superlunary
specifically : situated on the dorsal side of
b
: next above or higher
supertonic
3
: having the (specified) ingredient present in a large or unusually large proportion
superphosphate
4
: constituting a more inclusive category than that specified
superfamily
5
: superior in status, title, or position
superpower

Examples of super in a Sentence

Adjective We had a super time. “Yes, I'd love to come.” “Super! I'll see you later.” Adverb my computer is super slow this morning
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The Biden campaign would prefer a one-on-one match up with Trump and super PACs are cropping up on the left to attack Kennedy's record. Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 23 Apr. 2024 Meghan is a super talent too, and she's got a great sense of humor. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024 Jennifer Garner recently opened up to People about her super relatable Mother’s Day request from her three teenage kids. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2024 After Emily’s List endorsed Porter, the group’s super PAC spent more than $241,000 on ads and mailers to support her. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2024 But Mackenzie has received substantial outside support to the tune of almost half a million dollars from Americans for Prosperity Action, a libertarian super PAC founded by the Koch brothers. Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024 At times, after the referee makes what Richard Harper considers a bad call, the super fan pulls out a homemade yellow card. Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2024 At other moments, however, the President and the super soldier seem to be in conflict. Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024 He does not get paid for hosting the podcast, but reporting in recent weeks from Forbes and the Houston Chronicle shows that iHeart has paid more than $630,000 to a super PAC that supports his campaign. Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Back on Seventh Street, a guy who looked like a super was standing in front of a building, talking on his phone. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024 Li Auto is also touting a new Qilin 5C battery, jointly developed with CATL, that can achieve a driving range of 500 kilometers after just 12 minutes charging in a Li Auto super charging stall. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 4 Mar. 2024 In desperation, a Republican super PAC hired private plowing companies to clear certain streets. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2024 There’s just something irresistible about those brass buttons, no? 2/9 J.Crew Rosette Side-Cutout One-Piece Swimsuit A super on trend suit, this one-piece puts the ever popular rosette on full display. Brie Schwartz, Glamour, 17 Feb. 2024 Tatjana Patitz, One of the Original Supermodels, Has Died The untimely passing of the German-Estonian beauty stayed in the news, when her fellow supers were the subjects of a four-part Apple TV+ docuseries. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2023 Oprah Winfrey was photographed this summer hopping off David Geffen’s luxury super yacht, the Rising Sun, for a meal at Lo Scoglio. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Oct. 2023 The Marvels star Iman Vellani isn’t going to waste her time on things outside of her (super) power. Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2023 Plus, the pair got to watch Kendall Jenner–the new-gen super in the family—close the show in sleek suiting and oversized shades. Alex Kessler, Glamour, 30 Sep. 2023
Adverb
Photo: Courtesy of ERL Photo: Courtesy of ERL Photo: Courtesy of ERL Photo: Courtesy of ERL In a fashion world already high on its own supply of luxurious everyday wear, super riche basics might not seem novel, but what Linnetz has created with his hands in his studio is unique. Steff Yotka, Vogue, 25 Apr. 2024 Shoppers agree that the light-as-a-feather shorts are super comfy and flattering. Ali Faccenda, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024 Even with Christopher Nolan behind the camera, very few in the industry expected such a huge gross for a super dense biographical drama. Zack Sharf, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024 And so the puppeteer in me was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s super dangerous. Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024 Automated bubble blowers like this super affordable one from Target are great for the younger ones. Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 24 Apr. 2024 The couple, who are super private with their family life, has never revealed their children's names. Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024 To be able to step out and see the goodness of humanity and people is super inspiring to me. Detroit Free Press, 23 Apr. 2024 One super useful new feature coming to the app is a conversion feature for other currencies. Emily Price, PCMAG, 20 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'super.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

super-

Adverb

super-

Prefix

Latin, over, above, in addition, from super over, above, on top of — more at over

First Known Use

Adjective

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of super was in 1838

Dictionary Entries Near super

Cite this Entry

“Super.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/super. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

super

1 of 4 adjective
su·​per ˈsü-pər How to pronounce super (audio)
1
used as an overall term of approval
a super cook
2
: very large or powerful
a super atomic bomb
3
: showing the characteristics of its type to an extreme degree
super secrecy

super

2 of 4 noun
1
: an actor not listed with the regular cast
2

super

3 of 4 adverb
1
: very entry 2 sense 1, extremely
a super fast car
2
: to a degree exceeding the usual or normal
super critical

super-

4 of 4 prefix
1
a
: over and above : higher in quantity, quality, or degree than : more than
superfine
superhuman
b
: exceeding or so as to exceed what is usual or normal
supercool
c
: bigger, better, or more important than others of the same kind
superhighway
superstar
2
a
: situated or placed above, on, or at the top of
superimpose
b
: next above or higher
supertonic
Etymology

Prefix

derived from Latin super "over, above"

More from Merriam-Webster on super

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