Synonyms for supercilious
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : soo-per-sil-ee-uhs |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˌsu pərˈsɪl i əs |
Top 10 synonyms for supercilious
Définition 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
- "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
Antonyms for supercilious
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019