A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

superannuated --- retired on account of old age, 1633, "obsolete, out of date," from M.L. superannuatus "more than a year old" (of cattle), from L. super "beyond, over" (see super-) + annus "year" (see annual).

superb --- 1549, "noble, magnificent" (of buildings, monuments, etc.), from L. superbus "grand, proud, sumptuous," from super "above, over" (see super-). The second element probably is from PIE base *bhe- "to be." General sense of "very fine" developed by 1729.

supercharge (v.) --- 1919, originally of internal combustion engines, from super- + past tense of charge (v.).

supercilious --- 1529, from L. superciliosus "haughty, arrogant," from supercilium "haughty demeanor, pride," lit. "eyebrow" (via notion of raising the eyebrow to express haughtiness), from super "above" (see super-) + cilium "eyelid," related to celare "to cover, hide," from PIE base *kel- "to conceal" (see cell).

superconductor --- 1913, translation of Du. suprageleider, coined by Du. physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (1853-1926).

superego --- that part of the psyche which controls the impulses of the id," 1924, as a translation of Ger. über-Ich; see super- and ego.

supererogation --- 1526, "the doing of more than duty requires," in Catholic theology, from L.L. supererogationem (nom. supererogatio) "a payment in addition," from supererogatus, pp. of supererogare "pay or do additionally," from L. super "above, over" (see super-) + erogare "pay out," from ex- "out" + rogare "ask, request" (see rogation).

superficial --- c.1420, "of or relating to a surface," from L. superficialis "of or pertaining to the surface," from superficies "surface," from super "above, over" (see super-) + facies "form, face" (see face (n.)). Meaning "not deep or thorough" (of perceptions, thoughts, etc.) first recorded c.1530.

superfluous --- c.1380 (superflue), from L. superfluus "unnecessary," lit. "overflowing," from superfluere "to overflow," from super "over" (see super-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent).

superfly --- excellent, superior, 1971, originally U.S. black slang, from super- + slang sense of fly (see fly (v.)).

superhighway --- 1925, from super- + highway.

superimpose --- 1794, from superimposition (1684), from L. superimponere from super- (see super-) + imponere "to place upon," from in- "into" + poser "put, place."

superintendent --- 1554, originally an ecclesiastical word meaning "bishop" or "minister who supervises churches within a district" (a loan-translation of Gk. episkopos "overseer"), from M.L. superintendentem (nom. superintendens), from prp. of L.L. superintendere "oversee," from L. super "above" (see super-) + intendere "turn one's attention, direct" (see intend). Famously used by 16c. radical Protestants in place of bishop, which was to them tainted by Papacy.

superior (adj.) --- 1390, "higher in position," from O.Fr. superior, from L. superiorem (nom. superior) "higher," comparative of superus "situated above, upper," from super "above, over" (see super-). Meaning "higher in rank or dignity" is attested from 1485; sense of "of a higher nature or character" is attested from 1533. Noun meaning "person of higher rank" is attested from 1483.

superlative (adj.) --- c.1386, from O.Fr. superlatif (13c.), from L.L. superlativus "exaggerated, superlative," from L. superlatus "exaggerated" (used as pp. of superferre "carry over or beyond"), from super "beyond" (see super-) + lat- "carry," from *tlat-, pp. stem of tollere "to take away" (see extol). The noun is attested from 1530, originally in the grammatical sense.

superman --- 1903, coined by George Bernard Shaw to translate Ger. Übermensch, "highly evolved human being that transcends good and evil," from "Thus Spake Zarathustra" (1883-91), by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). First used in Ger. by Hermann Rab (1527), and also used by Herder and Goethe. Translated as overman (1895) and beyond-man (1896) before Shaw got it right in his play title "Man and Superman" (1903). Application to comic strip hero is from 1938.

supermarket --- 1933, Amer.Eng., from super- + market. The 1933 reference is in an article that says the stores themselves began to open around 1931.

supermodel --- 1979, from super- + model.

supernal --- 1447, "heavenly, divine," from O.Fr. supernal (12c.), formed from L. supernus "situated above, celestial" (from super "above, over;" see super-) as a contrast to infernal.

supernatural (adj.) --- c.1450 (implied in supernaturally), "above nature, transcending nature, belonging to a higher realm," from M.L. supernaturalis "above or beyond nature," from L. super "above" (see super-) + natura "nature" (see nature). Originally with more of a religious sense; association with ghosts, etc., has predominated since c.1799. The noun is attested from 1587.

supernova --- 1934, formed from super- + nova.

supernumerary --- 1605, from L.L. supernumarius "excessive in number" (of soldiers added to a full legion), from L. super numerum "beyond the number," from super "beyond, over" (see super-) + numerum, accusative of numerus "number" (see number).

superpower --- 1944, in geopolitical sense of "nation with great interest and ability to exert force in worldwide theaters of conflict," from super- + power. The word itself is attested in physical senses from 1922.

superscript --- 1390 (implied in superscription), "address or direction on a letter," from M.Fr. superscript, from L. superscriptus "written above," pp. of superscribere "write over or above something as a correction," from super "above" (see super-) + scribere "write" (see script). Meaning "number or letter written above something" first recorded 1901.

supersede --- 1456, Scottish, "postpone, defer," from M.Fr. superceder "desist, delay, defer," from L. supersedere "sit on top of, stay clear of, abstain from, forbear, refrain from," from super "above" (see super-) + sedere "to sit" (see sedentary). In Scot. law, a judicial order protecting a debtor. Meaning "displace, replace" first recorded 1642.

supersedeas --- writ to stay legal proceedings, 1393, from L., lit. "you shall desist," second person sing. subjunctive of supersedare (see supersede).

supersonic --- 1919, "of or having to do with sound waves beyond the limit of human hearing," from super- + sonic. Attested from 1934 in sense of "exceeding the speed of sound" (especially as a measure of aircraft speed), leaving the original sense to ultrasonic (1923).

superstar --- 1925, in the sports and entertainment sense, from super- + star.

superstitious --- c.1386, from O.Fr. superstitieux, from L. superstitiosus, from superstitionem (nom. superstitio) "prophecy, soothsaying, excessive fear of the gods," perhaps originally "state of religious exaltation," related to superstes (gen. superstitis) "standing over or above," also "standing by, surviving," from superstare "stand on or over, survive," from super "above" (see super-) + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). There are many theories for the L. sense development, but none has yet triumphed. Superstition is attested from 1402. In Eng., originally especially of religion; sense of "unreasonable notion" is from 1794.

superstructure --- c.1645, from super- + structure.

supertanker --- 1921, from super- + tanker (see tank).

supervene --- 1594 (implied in supervenient), from L. supervenire "come on top of," from super "over, upon" (see super-) + venire "come."

supervise --- 1588, "to look over," from M.L. supervisus, pp. of supervidere "oversee, inspect," from L. super "over" (see super-) + videre "see" (see vision). Meaning "to oversee and superintend the work or performance of others" is attested from c.1645; supervisor in this sense of "one who inspects and directs the work of others" is first recorded 1454.

supine --- c.1500, from L. supinus "turned or thrown backwards, inactive, indolent," related to sub "under." The grammatical use for "Latin verbal noun formed from the past participle stem" is from L.L. supinum verbum "supine verb," perhaps so called because, though furnished with a noun case ending, it "falls back" on the verb.

supper --- c.1275, "the last meal of the day," from O.Fr. super "supper," noun use of super "to eat the evening meal," which is of Gmc. origin (see sup (1)).

supplant --- c.1300, "to trip up, overthrow, defeat, dispossess," from O.Fr. supplanter "to trip up, overthrow," from L. supplantare "trip up, overthrow," from sub "under" + planta "sole of the foot" (see plant (n.)). Meaning "replace one thing with another" first recorded 1671. Interesting sense evolution parallel in Heb. akabh "he beguiled," from akebh "heel."

supple --- 1297, from O.Fr. souple "pliant, flexible," from Gallo-Romance *supples, from L. supplex (gen. supplicis) "submissive, humbly begging," lit. "bending, kneeling down," thought to be an altered form of *supplacos "humbly pleading, appeasing," from sub "under" + placare "appease" (see placate).

supplement --- 1382, from L. supplementum "something added to supply a deficiency," from supplere (see supply). The verb is first recorded 1829.

suppliant --- 1429, "humble petitioner," from M.Fr. suppliant, originally prp. of supplier "to plead humbly, entreat, beg, pray," from L. supplicare "beg, beseech" (see supplication).

supplicant --- 1597, from L. supplicantem (nom. supplicans), prp. of supplicare "plead humbly" (see supplication).

supplication --- 1384, from O.Fr. supplication, from L. supplicationem (nom. supplicatio), from supplicare "plead humbly" (see supple). In ancient Rome, a religious solemnity, especially in thanksgiving for a victory.

supply (n.) --- 1423, "assistance, relief," from supply (v.). Meaning "quantity or amount of something provided" is attested from 1607. In the political economy sense (corollary of demand) it dates from 1776. Supply-side in ref. to economic policy is attested from 1976. Supplies "provisions" is from c.1650.

supply (v.) --- 1375, "to help, support, maintain," also "fill up, make up for," from O.Fr. supplier "fill up, make full," from L. supplere "fill up, complete," from sub "up from below" + plere "to fill" (see plenary). The meaning "furnish, provide" first recorded c.1520.

support --- 1382, from O.Fr. supporter, from L. supportare "convey, carry, bring up," from sub "up from under" + portare "to carry" (see port (1)). The noun meaning "act of assistance, backing" is recorded from 1390; sense of "that which supports" is from 1570. Meaning "services which enable something to fulfil its function and remain in operation" (e.g. tech support) is from 1953. Supportive (1593) is called "rare" in OED (1933).

suppose --- c.1315, "to assume as the basis of argument," from O.Fr. supposer "to assume," probably a replacement of *suppondre (influenced by O.Fr. poser "put, place"), from L. supponere "put or place under," from sub "under" + ponere "put, place" (see position). Meaning "to admit as possible, to believe to be true" is from 1526. Supposed "believed or thought to exist" is from 1582, often with the -e- pronounced, to distinguish it from the passive p.t. supposed, now common in the sense of "to have a duty or obligation" (1859). Supposition (1410), as a term in logic is from L.L. suppositionem (nom. suppositio) "assumption, hypothesis," infl. by Gk. hypothesis.

suppository --- 1392, from M.L. suppositorium, noun use of neut. of L.L. suppositorius "placed underneath or up," from L. suppositus, pp. of supponere "put or place under" (see suppose).

suppress --- c.1380, "to put down by force or authority," from L. suppressus, pp. of supprimere "press down, stop, check, stifle," from sub "down, under" + premere "push against" (see press (v.1)). Sense of "prevent or prohibit the circulation of" is from 1560.

suppuration --- 1541, from L. suppurationem (nom. suppuratio), noun of action from suppuratum, pp. of suppurare "form or discharge pus," from sub "under" + stem of pus (see pus).

supra- --- prefix meaning "above, over, beyond," from L. supra "above, before, beyond," in supera (parte), lit. "on the upper (side)," from old fem. ablative singular of superus (adj.) "above," related to super "above, over" (see super-).

supralapsarian --- 1633, see infralapsarian, of which it is the opposite.

supreme --- 1523, from M.Fr. suprême, from L. supremus "highest," superlative of superus "situated above," from super "above" (see super-). Supreme Being first attested 1699; Supreme Court is from 1709. Supremacist is attested from 1959, originally with ref. to racial beliefs.

sur- --- prefix meaning "over, above, beyond, in addition," especially in words from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr., from O.Fr. sour-, sor-, sur-, from L. super (see super-).

sura --- chapter of the Quran, 1615, from Arabic surah, lit. "step, degree."

surcease --- 1428, from Anglo-Fr. surseser, from O.Fr. sursis, pp. of surseoir "to refrain, delay," from L. supersedere (see supersede). The Eng. spelling with -c- was influenced by the unrelated verb cease.

surcharge (v.) --- 1429, from M.Fr. surcharger, from O.Fr. sur- "over" + chargier "to load" (see charge). The noun is first attested 1569.

surcingle --- a girth for a horse, 1390, from O.Fr. surcengle, from sur- "over" + cengle "a girdle," from L. cingulum "girth" (see cinch).

surcoat --- outer coat, c.1330, from O.Fr. surcote, from sur- "on, upon, over, above" + cote (see coat).

surd --- 1551, "irrational" (of numbers), from L. surdus "unheard, silent, dull," possibly related to susurrus "a muttering, whispering" (see susurration). The mathematical sense is from the use of L. surdus to translate Ar. (jadhr) asamm "deaf (root)," itself a loan-translation of Gk. alogos, lit. "speechless, without reason" (Euclid bk. x, Def.). In Fr., sourd remains the principal word for "deaf."

sure --- c.1300, "safe, secure," later "mentally certain" (c.1450), from O.Fr. sur, seur "safe, secure," from L. securus "free from care, untroubled, heedless, safe" (see secure). Pronunciation development followed that of sugar. As an affirmative meaning "yes, certainly" it dates from 1803, from M.E. meanings "firmly established, having no doubt," and phrases like to be sure (1657), sure enough (1545), and for sure (1586). The use as a qualifier meaning "assuredly" goes back to 1425. Sure-footed is from 1633; sure-fire first attested 1901; sure thing dates from 1836. In 16c.-17c., Suresby was an appellation for a person to be depended upon.

surety --- c.1300, from O.Fr. seurté, from L. securitatem (nom. securitas) "freedom from care or danger, safety, security," from securus (see secure). Until 1966, the Fr. national criminal police department was the Sûreté nationale.

surf (n.) --- 1685, probably from earlier suffe (1599), of uncertain origin. Originally used in reference to the coast of India, hence perhaps of Indic origin. Or perhaps a phonetic respelling of sough, which meant "a rushing sound." The verb meaning "ride the crest of a wave" is from 1917; surfer, surfing both from 1955. In the Internet sense, first recorded 1993.

surface --- 1611, from Fr. surface "outermost boundary of anything, outside part" (16c.), from O.Fr. sur- "above" + face (see face). Patterned on L. superficies "surface" (see superficial). The verb meaning "come to the surface" is first recorded 1898; earlier it meant "bring to the surface" (1885), and "to give something a polished surface" (1778).

surfeit (n.) --- c.1300, from O.Fr. surfet "excess," noun use of pp. of surfaire "overdo," from sur- "over" + faire "do," from L. facere "to make" (see factitious). The verb is first recorded 1393.

surge (n.) --- 1490, "fountain, stream," probably from M.Fr. sourge-, stem of sourdre "to rise, swell," from L. surgere "to rise," contraction of surrigere "to rise," from sub "up from below" + regere "to keep straight, guide" (see right). Meaning "high, rolling swell of water" is from 1530; figurative sense of "excited rising up" (as of feelings) is from 1520. The verb is first recorded 1511.

surgeon --- c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. surgien (13c.), from O.Fr. serurgien, cirurgien, from cirurgie "surgery," from L. chirurgia, from Gk. kheirourgia, from kheirourgos "working or done by hand," from kheir "hand" + ergon "work" (see urge (v.)). Surgery (c.1300) is from O.Fr. surgerie, contracted from serurgerie, from L.L. chirurgia.

surly --- 1566, "lordly, majestic," alteration of M.E. sirly "lordly, imperious" (14c.), from sir. The meaning "rude, gruff" is first attested 1670. For sense development, cf. lordly, and Ger. herrisch "domineering, imperious," from Herr "master, lord."

surmise --- c.1400, "to charge, allege," from O.Fr. surmis, pp. of surmettre "to accuse," from sur- "upon" + mettre "put," from L. mittere "to send" (see mission). Meaning "to infer conjecturally" is recorded from 1700. The noun meaning "inference, guess" is first found in Eng. 1590; earlier it was a legal term meaning "formal allegation" (1451).

surmount --- c.1369, "to rise above, go beyond," from O.Fr. surmounter "rise above," from sur- "beyond" + monter "to go up" (see mount (v.)). Meaning "to prevail over, overcome" is recorded from 1390.

surname --- c.1330, "name, title, or epithet added to a person's name," from sur "above" + name; modeled on Anglo-Fr. surnoun "surname" (c.1325), variant of O.Fr. surnom, from sur "over" + nom "name." Meaning "family name" is first found 1375. Hereditary surnames existed among Norman nobility in England in early 12c., among common people began to be used 13c., increasingly frequent until near universal by end of 14c. The process was later in the north of England than the south. The verb is attested from 1548.

surpass --- 1555, from M.Fr. surpasser "go beyond, exceed, excel," from O.Fr. sur- "beyond" + passer "to go by" (see pass (v.)).

surplice --- loose white robe, c.1290, from O.Fr. surpeliz, from M.L. superpellicium "a surplice," lit. "an over fur garment," from L. super "over" (see super-) + M.L. pellicium "fur garment, tunic of skins," from L. pellis "skin." So called because it was put on over fur garments worn by clergymen to keep warm in unheated medieval churches.

surplus --- c.1374, from O.Fr. surplus, from M.L. superplus "excess, surplus," from L. super "over" super + plus "more" (see plus).

surprise (n.) --- c.1457, "unexpected attack or capture," from M.Fr. surprise "a taking unawares," from noun use of pp. of O.Fr. surprendre "to overtake," from sur- "over" + prendre "to take," from L. prendere, contracted from prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile). Meaning "something unexpected" first recorded 1592, that of "feeling caused by something unexpected" is 1608. Meaning "fancy dish" is attested from 1708.

surrealism --- 1927, from Fr. surréalisme (from sur- "beyond" + réalisme "realism"), coined c.1917 by Guillaume Apollinaire, taken over by Andre Breton as the name of the movement he launched in 1924 with "Manifeste de Surréalisme." Taken up in Eng. at first in the Fr. form; the Anglicized version is from 1931; surreal is a 1936 back-formation.

surrender --- 1441, "to give (something) up," from O.Fr. surrendre "give up, deliver over" (13c.), from sur- "over" + rendre "give back" (see render). Reflexive sense of "to give oneself up" (especially as a prisoner) is from 1585. The noun is recorded from 1487.

surreptitious --- 1443, from L. surrepticius "stolen, furtive, clandestine," from surreptus, pp. of surripere "seize secretly," from sub "from under" (hence, "secretly") + rapere "to snatch" (see rapid).

surrey --- two-seated, four-wheeled pleasure carriage, 1895, from Surrey cart, an English pleasure cart (introduced in U.S. 1872), named for Surrey, England, where it was first made. The place name is O.E. suþrige (722), lit. "Southerly District" (relative to Middlesex).

surrogate --- 1430, from L. surrogatus, pp. of surrogare "put in another's place, substitute," from sub "in the place of, under" + rogare "to ask, propose" (see rogation). Meaning "woman pregnant with the fertilized egg of another woman" is attested from 1978.

surround --- 1423, "to flood, overflow," from M.Fr. soronder "to overflow, abound, surpass, dominate," from L.L. superundare "overflow," from L. super "over" (see super-) + undare "to flow in waves," from unda "wave" (see water; and cf. abound). Sense of "to shut in on all sides" first recorded 1616, influenced by figurative meaning in Fr. of "dominate," and by sound association with round. First record of surroundings in sense of "environment" is from 1861.

surtax --- extra tax, 1881, from Fr. surtaxe, from O.Fr. sur- "over" + taxe "tax" (see tax).

surveillance --- 1802, from Fr. surveillance "oversight, supervision, a watch," noun of action from surveiller "oversee, watch," from sur- "over" + veiller "to watch," from L. vigilare, from vigil "watchful" (see vigil). Seemingly a word of the Terror in France. A hideous back-formation, surveille (v.), was coined in 1960 in U.S. government jargon. Pray that it dies.

survey (v.) --- c.1386 (implied in surveyance), from O.Fr. surveeir, from M.L. supervidere "oversee" (see supervise). Meaning "to take linear measurements of a tract of ground" is recorded from 1550. The noun is attested from 1548, "act of viewing in detail." Meaning "systematic collection of data on opinions, etc." is attested from 1927. Surveyor is from Anglo-Fr. surveiour, from M.Fr. surveor, from O.Fr. verb surveeir.

survive --- 1473, originally in the legal (inheritance) sense, from Anglo-Fr. survivre, from O.Fr. souvivre, from L. supervivere "live beyond, live longer than," from super "over, beyond" (see super-) + vivere "to live" (see vivid). Survival is attested from 1598; phrase survival of the fittest was used by Spencer in place of Darwin's natural selection. Survivable "capable of being survived" is attested from 1961. Survivalist "one who practices outdoor survival skills" (often in anticipation of apocalypse or in fear of the government) is recorded from 1985.

survivor --- 1504, in the legal sense of "one who outlives another," from survive. Meaning "one who has a knack for pulling through adversity" is attested from 1971. Survivor syndrome is first recorded 1968.

Susanna --- fem. proper name, from L. Susanna, from Gk. Sousana, from Heb. Shoshannah, lit. "a lily." One of the women that attended Jesus in his journeys.

susceptible --- 1605 (susceptive in the same sense is recorded from 1548), from L.L. susceptibilis "capable, sustainable, susceptible," from L. susceptus, pp. of suscipere "sustain, support, acknowledge," from sub "up from under" + capere "to take" (see capable).

suspect (adj.) --- 1340, from O.Fr. suspect "suspicious," from L. suspectus "suspected, suspicious," pp. of suspicere "look up at, mistrust, suspect," from sub "up to" + specere "to look at" (see scope (1)). The notion is of "look at secretly," hence, "look at distrustfully." The verb is attested from 1483; the noun meaning "a suspected person" is first recorded 1591.

suspend --- c.1290, "to bar or exclude temporarily from some function or privilege, to cause to cease for a time," from O.Fr. suspendre, from L. suspendere "to hang, stop," from sub "up from under" + pendere "cause to hang, weigh" (see pendant). The lit. sense of "to cause to hang by a support from above" is recorded from c.1440. Suspenders is attested from 1810, Amer.Eng. Suspended animation first recorded 1795.

suspense --- 1402, "not being executed, unfulfilled" (of legal matters), from Anglo-Fr. suspens (in en suspens "in abeyance," 1306), from O.Fr. suspens "act of suspending," from L. suspensus, pp. of suspendere (see suspend). Meaning "state of mental uncertainty" (1440) is from legal meaning of "not rendered, not paid, not carried out" (e.g. suspended sentence). As a genre of novels, stories, etc., attested from 1952.

suspension --- 1421, "temporary halting or deprivation," from L. suspensionem (nom. suspensio) "the act or state of hanging up, a vaulting," from pp. stem of suspendere "to hang" (see suspend).