supercilious

adjective

su·per·cil·ious ˌsü-pər-ˈsi-lē-əs How to pronounce supercilious (audio)

-ˈsil-yəs

: coolly and patronizingly haughty

reacted to their breach of etiquette with a supercilious smile

superciliously adverb

superciliousness noun

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What is the origin of supercilious?

Arrogant and disdainful types tend to raise an eyebrow at anything they consider beneath them. The original supercilious crowd must have shown that raised-eyebrow look often, because the adjective supercilious derives from "supercilium," Latin for eyebrow. (We plucked our adjective and its meaning from the Latin adjective superciliosus.) "Supercilious" has been used to describe the censoriously overbearing since the late 1600s, but there was a time in the 1700s when it was also used as a synonym of another "supercilium" descendent, "superciliary" ("of, relating to, or adjoining the eyebrow"). Although the eyebrow sense of "supercilious" is now obsolete, it does help explain what ornithologist John Latham meant in 1782 when he described a "Supercilious K[ingfisher]" with a narrow orange stripe over its eyes.

Example Sentences

While Americans did congregate together at baseball games, … amusement parks, dance halls and arcades, tensions still roiled. The middle class may not have been as supercilious as the elites it replaced, but middle-class reformers were every bit as strident as those elites in condemning … working-class entertainments, and for the same reason: These entertainments constituted a challenge to the class's social control.

Neal Gabler, Life: The Movie, 1998 Cross' popular academic sleuth Kate Fansler returns, this time as a guest professor at the down-at-the-heels Schuyler Law School, where she has been asked to teach a course on literature and the law. Ardent feminist Kate soon finds that not only is Schuyler a bastion of intolerant, supercilious white males, but worse, any attempt by women or minorities to be heard is quickly quashed by the old-boy network.

Emily Melton, Booklist, 15 Dec. 1994 Jorgeson had a sharp tongue and was so supercilious in his remarks that I didn't know quite how seriously I should take this talk, but I enjoyed his humor and I did believe he had the sensibilities of an artist.

Thom Jones, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 1991 the supercilious art dealer rolled her eyes when we asked if she had anything for under $1,000

Recent Examples on the Web Hulu nor any of their supercilious team ever tried to engage in any negotiations with this Black man. ...

Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY, 6 Aug. 2022 To advertise that confidence with an unselfconscious, open-mouthed, haplessly disarming smile — to resist the urge, in other words, to fake an air of supercilious self-importance — is the very best thing.

Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2022 From a supercilious smile to icy anger and back again, wonderfully easeful Charles Edwards is every inch the droll Vidal.

David Benedict, Variety, 10 Dec. 2021 Absent context, hand gestures perform a supercilious pantomime.

Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2021 On the surface, Richardson appears unequivocally bold, toeing the line between confident and supercilious.

oregonlive, 19 June 2021 And the trustees who gleefully conspire in old age to gum up the keys of Petrie’s cherished typewriter seem unaltered from the supercilious, eager-to-humiliate childhood chums of long ago.

Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2021 Susan remembers Conway, a supercilious jerk, all too well.

New York Times, 2 Dec. 2020 This always induces some supercilious snickering among foreigners.

Gerard Baker, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2020 See More

单词	superciliousness
释义	supercilious adjective su·per·cil·ious ˌsü-pər-ˈsi-lē-əs -ˈsil-yəs : coolly and patronizingly haughty reacted to their breach of etiquette with a supercilious smile superciliously adverb superciliousness noun Did you know? What is the origin of supercilious? Arrogant and disdainful types tend to raise an eyebrow at anything they consider beneath them. The original supercilious crowd must have shown that raised-eyebrow look often, because the adjective supercilious derives from "supercilium," Latin for eyebrow. (We plucked our adjective and its meaning from the Latin adjective superciliosus.) "Supercilious" has been used to describe the censoriously overbearing since the late 1600s, but there was a time in the 1700s when it was also used as a synonym of another "supercilium" descendent, "superciliary" ("of, relating to, or adjoining the eyebrow"). Although the eyebrow sense of "supercilious" is now obsolete, it does help explain what ornithologist John Latham meant in 1782 when he described a "Supercilious K[ingfisher]" with a narrow orange stripe over its eyes. Synonyms arrogant assumptive bumptious cavalier chesty haughty high-and-mighty high-handed high-hat highfalutin hifalutin huffish huffy imperious important lofty lordly masterful overweening peremptory pompous presuming presumptuous pretentious self-asserting self-assertive sniffy stiff-necked superior toplofty toploftical uppish uppity See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences While Americans did congregate together at baseball games, … amusement parks, dance halls and arcades, tensions still roiled. The middle class may not have been as supercilious as the elites it replaced, but middle-class reformers were every bit as strident as those elites in condemning … working-class entertainments, and for the same reason: These entertainments constituted a challenge to the class's social control. Neal Gabler, Life: The Movie, 1998 Cross' popular academic sleuth Kate Fansler returns, this time as a guest professor at the down-at-the-heels Schuyler Law School, where she has been asked to teach a course on literature and the law. Ardent feminist Kate soon finds that not only is Schuyler a bastion of intolerant, supercilious white males, but worse, any attempt by women or minorities to be heard is quickly quashed by the old-boy network. Emily Melton, Booklist, 15 Dec. 1994 Jorgeson had a sharp tongue and was so supercilious in his remarks that I didn't know quite how seriously I should take this talk, but I enjoyed his humor and I did believe he had the sensibilities of an artist. Thom Jones, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 1991 the supercilious art dealer rolled her eyes when we asked if she had anything for under $1,000 Recent Examples on the Web Hulu nor any of their supercilious team ever tried to engage in any negotiations with this Black man. ... Cydney Henderson, USA TODAY, 6 Aug. 2022 To advertise that confidence with an unselfconscious, open-mouthed, haplessly disarming smile — to resist the urge, in other words, to fake an air of supercilious self-importance — is the very best thing. Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2022 From a supercilious smile to icy anger and back again, wonderfully easeful Charles Edwards is every inch the droll Vidal. David Benedict, Variety, 10 Dec. 2021 Absent context, hand gestures perform a supercilious pantomime. Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2021 On the surface, Richardson appears unequivocally bold, toeing the line between confident and supercilious. oregonlive, 19 June 2021 And the trustees who gleefully conspire in old age to gum up the keys of Petrie’s cherished typewriter seem unaltered from the supercilious, eager-to-humiliate childhood chums of long ago. Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2021 Susan remembers Conway, a supercilious jerk, all too well. New York Times, 2 Dec. 2020 This always induces some supercilious snickering among foreigners. Gerard Baker, WSJ, 17 Jan. 2020 See More Word History Etymology Latin superciliosus, from supercilium eyebrow, haughtiness, from super- + -cilium eyelid (akin to celare to hide) — more at hell First Known Use 1543, in the meaning defined above superciliousness noun as in arrogance an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims can't bear the superciliousness of her cousin, who lives in New York City and thinks everybody in Tennessee is a hick Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance arrogance superiority disdain attitude imperiousness haughtiness presumptuousness hauteur pomposity pompousness pretension loftiness peremptoriness pridefulness masterfulness pretentiousness lordliness pretense assumption huffiness consequence bumptiousness self-importance pretence condescension high horse vanity snobbishness pride dominance snootiness snobbery toploftiness self-consequence scorn smugness bossiness snobbism impudence boastfulness high-handedness bravado cheekiness sauciness impertinence vainglory authoritativeness triumphalism egoism egotism cockiness complacence inflation swagger braggadocio brag conceit self-complacency bowwow bombast self-conceit strut side vaingloriousness self-opinion self-assertion cheek self-satisfaction self-content chest-thumping self-contentment self-centeredness superiority complex swelled head self-assumption self-partiality Antonyms & Near Antonyms humility modesty unpretentiousness bashfulness shyness demureness diffidence timidity timidness passivity meekness unassumingness submissiveness passiveness lowliness reservedness retiringness self-distrust quietness self-doubt reserve mousiness See More
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supercilious

adjective

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun