inferior
pronunciation
How to pronounce inferior in British English:
UK [ɪnˈfɪəriə(r)]
How to pronounce inferior in American English:
US [ɪnˈfɪriər]
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- Noun:
- one of lesser rank or station or quality
- a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or slightly below and to the side of another character
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- Adjective:
- of or characteristic of low rank or importance
- of low or inferior quality
- inferior in rank or status
- written or printed below and to one side of another character
- having an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit
- lower than a given reference point
- falling short of some prescribed norm
Word Origin
- inferior
- inferior: see under
- inferior (adj.)
- early 15c., of land, "low, lower," from Latin inferior "lower, further down" (also used figuratively), comparative of inferus (adj.) "that is below or beneath," from infra "below" (see infra-). Meaning "lower in degree, rank, or importance" is from 1530s; also in an absolute sense, "of low quality or rank."
- inferior (n.)
- "person inferior to another in rank, etc.," early 15c., from inferior (adj.).
Synonym
Antonym
Example
- 1. But although imitators have invariably used inferior materials and low-cost labour , they still needed costly manufacturing equipment .
- 2. Even prices for inferior domestic ore , which supplies roughly half china 's demand , have doubled since the start of the year .
- 3. Moreover , the securities are not homogeneous , which means that even an auction process would leave the aggregator bank with inferior assets through adverse selection .
- 4. One of the worst legacies of apartheid has been inferior schooling for south africa 's black majority .
- 5. Unfortunately there are too many business schools churning out graduates with an inferior education .