Supercilious

Practice This Word

Having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt toward others; arrogantly self-important.

adjective

Supercilious

Having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt toward others; arrogantly self-important.

adjective

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Imagine This

Imagine a politician at a gala who arrives late, glances down his nose at attendees with a cold smile, and crosses his arms as he speaks in a patronizing tone.

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Sounds Like

soo-pər-SIL-ee-əs

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Looks Like

A raised eyebrow and a condescending gaze

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Remember This

From Latin superciliosus meaning 'haughty,' literally 'over the brow' (supercilium). The word is not about physical appearance alone but about an attitude of looking down on others.

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Other Forms

superciliouslyadverb

superciliousnessnoun

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Connect With

arrogance, disdain, condescension, hauteur, patronizing, snobbish

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Note

Often followed by 'toward' (e.g., 'supercilious toward others'). Distinguish from merely being 'confident' or 'self-assured'; supercilious implies contempt and disdain.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The manager's supercilious attitude made even seasoned employees uncomfortable.
Her supercilious remark suggested she believed she was superior to everyone in the room.

Synonyms

haughtyarrogantdisdainfulcondescendingpompous

Antonyms

humblemodestunassuming

Etymology

From Latin superciliosus 'haughty,' from supercilium 'eyebrow, over the brow' (super- 'over' + cilium 'eyebrow'), alluding to a raised eyebrow and an air of superiority.

Mnemonic

Think of a raised eyebrow signaling 'above you'—supercilious literally means having a super (above) brow and looking down on others.