Antonyms for supercilious

Grammar : Adj

Spell : soo-per-sil-ee-uhs

Phonetic Transcription : ˌsu pərˈsɪl i əs

Definition of supercilious

Origin : 1520s, from Latin superciliosus "haughty, arrogant," from supercilium "haughty demeanor, pride," literally "eyebrow" (via notion of raising the eyebrow to express haughtiness), from super "above" (see super-) + second element akin to cilium "eyelid," related to celare "to cover, hide," from PIE root *kel- "to conceal" (see cell).
Since cilium is more recent than supercilium, the former can be interpreted as a back-formation to the latter .... If indeed derived from the root *kel- 'to hide', we must still assume that a noun *kilium 'eyelid' existed, since the eyelid can 'hide' the eye, whereas the eyebrow does not have such a function. Thus, supercilium may originally have meant 'what is above the cilium'. [Michiel de Vaan, "Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages," Leiden, 2008]

adj arrogant, stuck-up

Example sentences :

"Not particularly," she replied, still chirpy as to tone and supercilious as to her manner.
Extract from : « Good Indian » by B. M. Bower

I asked him if, when he said his prayers, he was so supercilious as to pray for his daily biscuits.
Extract from : « Alarms and Discursions » by G. K. Chesterton

In the classes above them the supernatural has been slain by the supercilious.
Extract from : « Alarms and Discursions » by G. K. Chesterton

He never saluted me with other than what I regarded as a supercilious nod of the head.
Extract from : « Wilfrid Cumbermede » by George MacDonald

Wrayson looked at him for a moment in supercilious surprise.
Extract from : « The Avenger » by E. Phillips Oppenheim

This, in a supercilious air, while she drew from the narghilah the smoke, which I could not relish.
Extract from : « The Book of Khalid » by Ameen Rihani

He had passed her with his haughty, supercilious air, pretending not to recognize her.
Extract from : « The Downfall » by Emile Zola

His handsome white face had lost some of its supercilious confidence.
Extract from : « The Strolling Saint » by Raphael Sabatini

But the supercilious and very noble Ombreval still grumbled.
Extract from : « The Trampling of the Lilies » by Rafael Sabatini

There was a supercilious curl of contempt on her lips as she finished.
Extract from : « Australia Revenged » by Boomerang

Synonyms for supercilious

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019