superciliousness
- noun
- /ˌsuːpərˈsɪliəsnəs/
:
soberbia
- The Loeb translation speaks of these as "facetious," but this has connotations of superciliousness.
Examples
-
He looked at her with a superciliousness she assumed was part of their training, one of the hundred ways people like him learned to keep their distance.
Fiction book (1998) -
The worst human traits are smugness and superciliousness in the face of the less fortunate.
Academic text (1994) -
"Yes, sir?" He had just the right touch of superciliousness that verged on the offensive without ever quite toppling over into it.
Fiction book (1993) -
Behind the pros' superciliousness lurks, therefore, a feeling of envy.
Academic text (1991) -
He looked extraordinarily alert, and what seemed like superciliousness in his facial expression was actually just the confidence of a man who believed he knew more about the important things on this earth than anyone else.
Fiction book (1990) -
Today, the movement's intellectual legacy is troubled by ambiguity and confusion, with academic treatments of the subject oscillating between distant superciliousness and spiteful scholarly neglect.
Academic text (2016) -
His superciliousness made it difficult for him to connect with his colleagues during meetings.
-
She spoke with such superciliousness that it turned everyone off from her ideas.
-
The superciliousness in his tone when addressing the interns left a bad impression on the entire team.
Synonyms
133
4.8
Being too proud and acting as if you are better than others
33
6.1
Acting or feeling that you are better than other people and making them feel small
16
7.9
An attitude that shows someone feels more important than others
12
6.3
An attitude of thinking you are better than others because of wealth or class
7
6.1
Thinking and talking about yourself too much and feeling better than others
2
7.2
Feeling that you are better than other people because you think highly of yourself
1
7.9
Thinking that you are more important or powerful than others
1
7.5
A way of thinking that makes you feel better than others and makes you treat them as less important
1
7.4
A way of behaving like you are better than other people because of money or class
1
8.4
Being someone who thinks they are better than people with less money or social position and looks down on them
1
8.4
Treating people in a rude, bossy way and not listening to them
1
8.1
A way of behaving that shows you think you are better than other people
Treating people as if they are less smart or important
A feeling that you are better than other people
A way of acting as if one is better than other people
Acting as if more important or better than other people
Thinking you are much better or more important than other people
Antonyms
How Arrogant
Surface Forms
Morphology
superciliousness = supercilious (semi-transparent) = supercilious + ness
The step from the adjective 'supercilious' to the noun 'superciliousness' is a regular formation with -ness indicating a quality or state.
Etymology
Superciliousness comes from Latin parts super- meaning 'above' and cilium meaning 'eyebrow'. Think of someone lifting an eyebrow to look down on others—this small face movement shows they feel superior. That's why superciliousness means acting like you are better than other people.