[syn: deficient, inferior, substandard]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Inferior \In*fe"ri*or\, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is
below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F.
inf['e]rieur. See Under.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less
important or valuable; subordinate; underneath; beneath.
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A thousand inferior and particular propositions.
--I. Watts.
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The body, or, as some love to call it, our inferior
nature. --Burke.
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Whether they are equal or inferior to my other
poems, an author is the most improper judge.
--Dryden.
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2. Poor or mediocre; as, an inferior quality of goods.
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3. (Astron.)
(a) Nearer the sun than the earth is; as, the inferior or
interior planets; an inferior conjunction of Mercury
or Venus.
(b) Below the horizon; as, the inferior part of a
meridian.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Bot.)
(a) Situated below some other organ; -- said of a calyx
when free from the ovary, and therefore below it, or
of an ovary with an adherent and therefore inferior
calyx.
(b) On the side of a flower which is next the bract;
anterior.
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5. (Min.) Junior or subordinate in rank; as, an inferior
officer.
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Inferior court (Law), a court subject to the jurisdiction
of another court known as the superior court, or higher
court.
Inferior letter, Inferior figure (Print.), a small letter
or figure standing at the bottom of the line (opposed to
superior letter or figure), as in A2, Bn, 2 and n are
inferior characters.
Inferior tide, the tide corresponding to the moon's transit
of the meridian, when below the horizon.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Inferior \In*fe"ri*or\, n.
A person lower in station, rank, intellect, etc., than
another.
[1913 Webster]
A great person gets more by obliging his inferior than
by disdaining him. --South.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
coarsened \coarsened\ adj.
made coarse or crude by lack of skill; -- sometimes used to
mean inferior.
[WordNet 1.5]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
inferior
adj 1: of or characteristic of low rank or importance [ant:
superior]
2: of low or inferior quality [ant: superior]
3: written or printed below and to one side of another character
[syn: subscript, inferior] [ant: adscript, superior,
superscript]
4: having an orbit between the sun and the Earth's orbit;
"Mercury and Venus are inferior planets" [ant: superior]
5: lower than a given reference point; "inferior alveolar
artery"
6: falling short of some prescribed norm; "substandard housing"
[syn: deficient, inferior, substandard]
n 1: one of lesser rank or station or quality [ant: higher-up,
superior, superordinate]
2: a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or
slightly below and to the side of another character [syn:
subscript, inferior] [ant: superior, superscript]