Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Inferior?

\In*fe"ri*or\, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf['e]rieur. See {Under}.] 1. Lower in place, rank, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate; underneath; beneath. A thousand inferior and particular propositions. --I. Watts. The body, or, as some love to call it, our inferior nature. --Burke. Whether they are equal or inferior to my other poems, an author is the most improper judge. --Dryden. 2. Poor or mediocre; as, an inferior quality of goods. 3. (Astron.) (a) Nearer the sun than the earth is; as, the inferior or interior planets; an inferior conjunction of Mercury or Venus. (b) Below the horizon; as, the inferior part of a meridian. 4. (Bot.) (a) Situated below some other organ; -- said of a calyx when free from the ovary, and therefore below it, or of an ovary with an adherent and therefore inferior calyx. (b) On the side of a flower which is next the bract; anterior. 5. (Min.) Junior or subordinate in rank; as, an inferior officer. {Inferior court} (Law), a court subject to the jurisdiction of another court known as the superior, or higher, court. {Inferior letter}, {Inferior figure} (Print.), a small letter or figure standing at the bottom of the line (opposed to {superior letter} or figure), as in A_{2}, B_{n}, 2 and n are inferior characters. {Inferior tide}, the tide corresponding to the moon's transit of the meridian, when below the horizon.
\In*fe"ri*or\, n. A person lower in station, rank, intellect, etc., than another. A great person gets more by obliging his inferior than by disdaining him. --South.