inferior

[in-feer-ee-er] /ɪnˈfɪər i ər/
adjective
1.
lower in station, rank, degree, or grade (often followed by to):
a rank inferior to colonel.
2.
lower in place or position; closer to the bottom or base:
descending into the inferior regions of the earth.
3.
of comparatively low grade; poor in quality; substandard:
an inferior product.
4.
less important, valuable, or worthy:
B+ bonds are inferior to AAA bonds.
5.
acting or performing in a way that is comparatively poor or mediocre:
an inferior observer of human nature.
6.
Botany.
  1. situated below some other organ.
  2. (of a calyx) inserted below the ovary.
  3. (of an ovary) having a superior calyx.
7.
Anatomy.
  1. lower in place or position; situated beneath another.
  2. toward the feet.
    Compare superior (def 9).
8.
Astronomy. lying below the horizon:
the inferior part of a meridian.
9.
Printing. written or printed low on a line of text, as the “2” in H 2 O; subscript.
Compare superior (def 10).
noun
10.
a person inferior to another or others, as in rank or merit.
11.
Also called subscript. Printing. a letter, number, or symbol written or printed low on a line of text.
Compare superior (def 12).
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English < Latin, equivalent to infer(us) lower (cf. under) + -ior comparative suffix
Related forms
inferiority
[in-feer-ee-awr-i-tee, -or-] /ɪnˌfɪər iˈɔr ɪ ti, -ˈɒr-/ (Show IPA), noun
inferiorly, adverb
quasi-inferior, adjective
subinferior, adjective
Synonyms
3. mediocre, low-quality, second-rate.
Examples from the web for inferior
  • The food they received was inferior to what the whites got.
  • Socially inferior males also got the ejection criteria, as females gave dominant males the advantage.
  • One in five confessed that the inferior quality of the samples might be compromising their data.
  • The tile is crooked and warped, its inferior grout as porous as a sponge.
  • When they fail to learn the material in the course and end up inferior on the job market, it won't be my problem.
  • They will get an education, but for many of the reasons given in the comments above, it will be substantively inferior overall.
  • Some of our ancestors are clearly inferior to us, with smaller brains and apelike countenances.
  • None of them have an infinite choice of mates, and some individuals will inevitably end up with an inferior partner.
  • Those that had inferior competencies replicated less.
  • That's something that makes me inferior when it comes to choosing partners.
British Dictionary definitions for inferior

inferior

/ɪnˈfɪərɪə/
adjective
1.
lower in value or quality
2.
lower in rank, position, or status; subordinate
3.
not of the best; mediocre; commonplace
4.
lower in position; situated beneath
5.
(of a plant ovary) enclosed by and fused with the receptacle so that it is situated below the other floral parts
6.
(astronomy)
  1. orbiting or occurring between the sun and the earth: an inferior planet, inferior conjunction
  2. lying below the horizon
7.
(printing) (of a character) printed at the foot of an ordinary character, as the 2 in H2O
noun
8.
an inferior person
9.
(printing) an inferior character
Derived Forms
inferiority (ɪnˌfɪərɪˈɒrɪtɪ) noun
inferiorly, adverb
Word Origin
C15: from Latin: lower, from inferus low
Word Origin and History for inferior
adj.

early 15c., of land, "low, lower," from Latin inferior "lower, further down" (also used figuratively), comparative of inferus (adj.) "that is below or beneath," from infra "below" (see infra-). Meaning "lower in degree, rank, or importance" is from 1530s; also in an absolute sense, "of low quality or rank."

n.

"person inferior to another in rank, etc.," early 15c., from inferior (adj.).

inferior in Medicine

inferior in·fe·ri·or (ĭn-fēr'ē-ər)
adj.

  1. Low or lower in order, degree, or rank.

  2. Low or lower in quality, value, or estimation.

  3. Second-rate; poor.

  4. Situated below or directed downward.

  5. In human anatomy, situated nearer the soles in relation to a reference point.

in·fe'ri·or'i·ty (-ôr'ĭ-tē) n.