super
/ˈsuːpə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsuːpər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsü-pər/ (ame, mw) · /ˈsuː.pər/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsuː.pɚ/ (ame, ipa) · /suː.pər-/ (bre, ipa) · /suː.pɚ-/ (ame, ipa)
super — adjective
- superpositive
- superercomparative
- superestsuperlative
1. extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable — for example, a super meal, a super ho
extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable — for example, a super meal, a super holiday, or a super performance that makes people cheer.
Ryo thought the concert was super — the band played for over three hours.
be + super (predicative use)
The children painted a super picture for their grandmother with bright colours.
Apinya has a super voice that fills the whole hall without a microphone.
Everyone at the party agreed the homemade pizza was super.
It was a super idea to plant sunflowers along the side of the house.
文法句型
be + super
super + noun
用法筆記
Common in everyday conversation rather than formal writing. Often used by children and in casual praise.
常見錯誤
2. extremely large in size, amount, or physical power — used to describe things suc
extremely large in size, amount, or physical power — used to describe things such as storms, buildings, vehicles, or machines that are much bigger or stronger than usual.
A super typhoon hit the coast, forcing thousands of families to leave their homes.
super + typhoon (extreme natural event)
The company built a super warehouse that stores over ten thousand boxes.
The new super computer at the university can solve problems in seconds.
Esteban drives a super truck with eight wheels for carrying heavy loads.
- tiny
opposite in size
文法句型
super + noun
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used attributively (before a noun). Common in news headlines and technical descriptions. When describing a person, use 'super-strong' or 'super-powered' instead of 'super' alone.
常見錯誤
super — adverb
1. used before an adjective or adverb to mean 'very' or 'extremely' — for example,
used before an adjective or adverb to mean 'very' or 'extremely' — for example, saying a film is super boring, a shop is super cheap, or someone runs super fast.
The film was super boring, so Tariro fell asleep halfway through.
super + adjective (boring)
Élise is super good at writing stories that make you laugh out loud.
Roya baked a cake that turned out super sweet because she added too much sugar.
Min finished the race super fast and broke the school record.
- very
neutral register; works in formal and informal contexts
- extremely
more formal; stronger intensity
- really
informal; similar register to 'super' but more common
- incredibly
more emphatic; suggests surprising degree
文法句型
super + adjective
super + adverb
用法筆記
Informal intensifier — use 'very' or 'extremely' in formal writing. Do not use 'super' with other intensifiers (*'very super good'). Common in spoken English and casual online communication.
常見錯誤
super — noun
- supersingular
- supersplural
1. a short, informal word for 'superintendent' — a person who takes care of a build
a short, informal word for 'superintendent' — a person who takes care of a building, especially an apartment block, by fixing problems, cleaning common areas, and handling repairs.
The super fixed the broken heater in room 203 within an hour.
collocation: the super fixed [problem]
Charlotte called the super when water started leaking from the ceiling.
Our super checks the mailboxes every morning and keeps the hallways clean.
Hamza gave the super a spare key so the pipes could be checked during the day.
文法句型
the + super
call the super
用法筆記
Chiefly North American English. In British English, 'caretaker' or 'janitor' is more common. Always used as a shortened form — the full word 'superintendent' is more formal.
常見錯誤
2. a short, informal word for 'superannuation' — money that a worker regularly save
a short, informal word for 'superannuation' — money that a worker regularly saves during their career so they have income after they stop working.
Ryo's employer puts money into his super every month for his retirement.
collocation: pay into / put money into super
Theo checked his super balance online and was surprised by how much he had saved.
Many workers add extra payments to their super to increase their retirement savings.
When Sana changed jobs, she transferred her super to a new fund.
- pension
broader term; used in most English varieties
- retirement fund
more formal; neutral across varieties
文法句型
somebody's + super
pay into super
用法筆記
Chiefly Australian, New Zealand, and British English. In the US, '401(k)' or 'pension' is used instead. The full word 'superannuation' is more formal.
常見錯誤
3. the highest grade of petrol available for cars, which has a higher octane level
the highest grade of petrol available for cars, which has a higher octane level and gives better engine performance than regular fuel.
Esteban filled his car with super instead of regular for better performance.
collocation: fill with super
The petrol station sells both regular and super at different prices.
Min's old car runs fine on regular, so she does not pay extra for super.
The mechanic told Henrik that his engine needed super for best results.
- premium
US equivalent
- high-octane
technical term; describes the fuel property
- regular
lower-grade fuel
文法句型
fill with super
run on super
用法筆記
Chiefly British English. In the US, the comparable product is called 'premium' or 'premium unleaded.' The term 'super' appears on petrol pump labels across Europe and parts of Asia.
常見錯誤
super — prefix
1. added to nouns and adjectives to mean 'larger, better, or more powerful than the
added to nouns and adjectives to mean 'larger, better, or more powerful than the usual kind' — for example, a supermarket is a very large shop, and a superhero has extraordinary powers.
The new supermarket sells everything from bread to bicycles under one roof.
super- + market = very large shop
Children love dressing up as superheroes who have amazing powers.
The plane broke the sound barrier and flew at supersonic speed across the ocean.
The superhero lifted the car with superhuman strength while the crowd watched.
- sub-
means 'below' or 'under', opposite of 'super-'
文法句型
super- + noun
super- + adjective
用法筆記
This prefix is highly productive — you will encounter many new combinations in news and advertising. When writing, attach 'super-' directly to the base word (no hyphen), except before proper nouns or when the base starts with 'p' to avoid double letters (e.g. 'super-precise').
常見錯誤
2. added to words to mean 'above,' 'on top of,' or 'next above in position or rank'
added to words to mean 'above,' 'on top of,' or 'next above in position or rank' — used in technical, academic, and formal language, such as in superscript (text above the line) or superstructure (a structure built on top of another).
In maths class, the teacher wrote a small number as a superscript above the main number.
super- + script = written above
The building's superstructure was added after the main frame was finished.
The artist superimposed a photo of the moon onto a painting of the city.
In grammar, a superordinate clause contains another clause inside it.
文法句型
super- + noun
用法筆記
This sense is less common in everyday English and appears mainly in academic, technical, or formal contexts. Many words with this prefix (e.g. 'superimpose', 'superordinate') are advanced vocabulary.