supercilious
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su·per·cil·i·ous
(so͞o′pər-sĭl′ē-əs)adj.
Feeling or showing haughty disdain. See Synonyms at arrogant.
[Latin superciliōsus, from supercilium, eyebrow, pride : super-, super- + cilium, lower eyelid; see kel- in Indo-European roots.]
su′per·cil′i·ous·ly adv.
su′per·cil′i·ous·ness n.
Word History: The English word supercilious ultimately derives from the Latin word supercilium, "eyebrow." Supercilium came to mean "the eyebrow as used in frowning and expressing sternness, gravity, or haughtiness." From there it developed the senses "stern looks, severity, haughty demeanor, pride." The derived Latin adjective superciliōsus meant "full of stern or disapproving looks, censorious, haughty, disdainful," as it has since it entered English as supercilious in the 1500s. The super- in the Latin word supercilium means "above," and cilium was the Latin word for "eyelid." In many of the Romance languages, this word developed into the word for "eyelash." This development is probably reflected in the scientific use in English of the word cilium, whose plural is cilia. Cilia are the minute hairlike appendages of cells or unicellular organisms that move in unison in order to bring about the movement of the cell or of the surrounding medium.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
supercilious
(ˌsuːpəˈsɪlɪəs)adj
displaying arrogant pride, scorn, or indifference
[C16: from Latin superciliōsus, from supercilium eyebrow; see superciliary]
ˌsuperˈciliously adv
ˌsuperˈciliousness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
su•per•cil•i•ous
(ˌsu pərˈsɪl i əs)adj.
haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a look.
[1520–30; < Latin superciliōsus. See superciliary, -ous]
su`per•cil′i•ous•ly, adv.
su`per•cil′i•ous•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Adj. | 1. | supercilious - having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy; "some economists are disdainful of their colleagues in other social disciplines"; "haughty aristocrats"; "his lordly manners were offensive"; "walked with a prideful swagger"; "very sniffy about breaches of etiquette"; "his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air"; "a more swaggering mood than usual"- W.L.Shirer proud - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride; "proud parents"; "proud of his accomplishments"; "a proud moment"; "proud to serve his country"; "a proud name"; "proud princes" |
| 2. | supercilious - expressive of contempt; "curled his lip in a supercilious smile"; "spoke in a sneering jeering manner"; "makes many a sharp comparison but never a mean or snide one" uncomplimentary - tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
supercilious
adjective scornful, arrogant, contemptuous, disdainful, lordly, proud, lofty, stuck-up (informal), patronizing, condescending, imperious, overbearing, snooty (informal), haughty, high and mighty (informal), vainglorious, toffee-nosed (slang, chiefly Brit.), hoity-toity (informal), uppish (Brit. informal) His manner is supercilious and arrogant.
modest, humble, meek, unassuming, unpretentious, submissive, self-effacing, deferential, obsequious
modest, humble, meek, unassuming, unpretentious, submissive, self-effacing, deferential, obsequious
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
supercilious
adjectiveOverly convinced of one's own superiority and importance:
arrogant, haughty, high-and-mighty, insolent, lofty, lordly, overbearing, overweening, prideful, proud, superior.
Idiom: on one's high horse.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُتَشامِخ، مُحْتَقِر
pohrdavý
overlegen
òóttafullur, hrokafullur
augstprātīgsnicīgs
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
supercilious
(suːpəˈsiliəs) adjective contemptuous or disdainful. a supercilious look.
ˌsuperˈciliously adverbˌsuperˈciliousness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.