Supercilious: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Supercilious adjective. Behaving as if you think you are better than other people.
How to say it
SOO-puh-SIL-ee-us/ˌsuːpəˈsɪliəs/
5 syllables, with stress on SOO and SIL.
Supercilious in a sentence
The sommelier gave a supercilious smile when we asked for the house red.
A supercilious tone crept into his voice whenever he mentioned the suburbs.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- haughty
- disdainful
- condescending
- snooty
Opposite:
- humble
- modest
Where supercilious comes from
From Latin supercilium, eyebrow, as in a raised one.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
A _____ tone crept into his voice whenever he mentioned the suburbs.
- imperious
- reticent
- supercilious
Show the answer
supercilious: A supercilious tone crept into his voice whenever he mentioned the suburbs.