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Meaning of inferior in English
Pronunciation
/ˌɪnˈfɪriər/
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Classifying Adjective
inferior
Definitions
1.
inferior in rank or status
Examples
« the junior faculty »
« a lowly corporal »
« petty officialdom »
« a subordinate functionary »
Synonyms
junior
2.
lower than a given reference point
Examples
« inferior alveolar artery »
Synonyms
bottom(a)
3.
falling short of some prescribed norm
Examples
« substandard housing »
Synonyms
nonstandard
Noun
inferior
Definitions
1.
one of lesser rank or station or quality
Antonyms
superior
higher-up
superordinate
2.
a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or slightly below and to the side of another character
Antonyms
superscript
superior
Qualitative Adjective
inferior
Etymology
late Middle English (in inferior (sense 2 of the adjective)): from Latin, comparative of inferus‘low’
Definitions
1.
of or characteristic of low rank or importance
Synonyms
humble
low
lowly
modest
small
indifferent
less
lower
low-level
middle-level
outclassed
Antonyms
superior
2.
of low or inferior quality
Synonyms
bad
base
bum
cheap
cheesy
chintzy
crummy
punk
sleazy
tinny
bush-league
bush
cardboard
flimsy
cheapjack
shoddy
tawdry
coarse
common
coarsened
commercial
deplorable
execrable
miserable
woeful
wretched
less
low-grade
mediocre
poor
second-rate
ropey
ropy
scrawny
scrubby
stunted
second-class
utility(a)
utility-grade
third-rate
Antonyms
superior
3.
written or printed below and to one side of another character
Antonyms
adscript
superscript
superior
4.
having an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit
Examples
« Mercury and Venus are inferior planets »
Antonyms
superior