a taxonomic group that is a subdivision of a subclass
superorder in American English
(ˈsupərˌɔrdər)
noun
a natural subdivision between an order and a class or subclass of plants or animals
superorder in American English
(ˈsuːpərˌɔrdər)
noun
Biology
a category of related orders within a class or subclass
Word origin
[1885–90; super- + order]This word is first recorded in the period 1885–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: lineup, roller coaster, scrum, toner, twofersuper- is 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 customarynorms or levels” (superalloy; superconductivity; superman; superstar), “an individual or thing larger, more powerful, or with wider application than othersof 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)
Examples of 'superorder' in a sentence
superorder
This tool offers a novel taxonomic support, which includes dental features different from those considered nowadays for this superorder.
Sylvia Sáez, Julio Lamilla 2012, 'Claves taxonómicas para el reconocimiento dentario en taxa del superorden Rajomorphiide Chile (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea) Taxonomic dental keys for the Chilean taxa ofthe superorder Rajomorphii (Chondrichthyes, Batoidea)', Latin American Journal of Aquatic Researchhttp://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-560X2012000200004. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)