super-

UK: /ˈsuːpə^r-/

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

super- prefix

1. placed above or over: superscript
2. of greater size, extent, quality, etc: supermarket
3. surpassing others; outstanding: superstar
4. beyond a standard or norm; exceeding or exceedingly: supersonic
5. indicating that a chemical compound contains a specified element in a higher proportion than usual: superoxide

Etymology: from Latin super above

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

su•per /ˈsupɚ/   n. [countable]

1. Informal Terms a superintendent, esp. of an apartment house:
   The sink is flooding; call the super.

adj. 

2. of the highest degree, power, etc.:
   a super council.
3. of an extreme degree:
   super haste.
4. Informal Terms very good;
   first-rate;
   excellent:
   a super job.

adv. 

5. Slang Terms very;
   extremely:
   super cooperative.

super-, prefix. 

1. • super- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "above, beyond;
     above or over (another);
     situated or located over'':
     superficial, superimpose, superstructure.
   • super- is also used to mean "an individual, thing, or property that surpasses customary or normal amounts or levels, as being larger, more powerful, or having something to a great degree or to too great a degree'':
     supercomputer, superconductivity, supercool, supercritical, superhighway, superhuman, superman.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

su•per  (so̅o̅′pər), n. 

1. Informal Terms
   • a superintendent, esp. of an apartment house.
   • supermarket.
   • supernumerary.
   • supervisor.
2. an article of a superior quality, grade, size, etc.
3. Insects (in beekeeping) the portion of a hive in which honey is stored.
4. Printing supercalendered paper.
5. Radio and Television, Show Business [Television.] an additional image superimposed on the original video image:
   A super of the guest's name is included under the picture when the guest is introduced.

adj. 

6. of the highest degree, power, etc.
7. of an extreme or excessive degree.
8. Informal Terms very good;
   first-rate;
   excellent.
9. Weights and Measures (of measurement) superficial.
10. superfine.

adv. 

11. Slang Terms very;
    extremely or excessively:
    super classy; a super large portion of food.

• 1620–30; 1920–25 for def. 8; independent use of super- (construed as an adjective, adjectival or adverb, adverbial), or shortening of words prefixed with it

super-, 

1. a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, with the basic meaning "above, beyond.'' Words formed with super- have the following general senses: "to place or be placed above or over'' (superimpose;
   supersede), "a thing placed over or added to another'' (superscript;
   superstructure;
   supertax), "situated over'' (superficial;
   superlunary) and, more figuratively, "an individual, thing, or property that exceeds customary norms or levels'' (superalloy;
   superconductivity;
   superman;
   superstar), "an individual or thing larger, more powerful, or with wider application than others of its kind'' (supercomputer;
   superhighway;
   superpower;
   supertanker), "exceeding the norms or limits of a given class'' (superhuman;
   superplastic), "having the specified property to a great or excessive degree'' (supercritical;
   superfine;
   supersensitive), "to subject to (a physical process) to an extreme degree or in an unusual way'' (supercharge;
   supercool;
   supersaturate), "a category that embraces a number of lesser items of the specified kind'' (superfamily;
   supergalaxy), "a chemical compound with a higher proportion than usual of a given constituent'' (superphosphate).

• Latin super (preposition and verb, verbal prefix) above, beyond, in addition, to an especially high degree; akin to Greek hypér (see hyper-), Sanskrit upari; see over

super., 

1. superintendent.
2. superior.