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Today it means

inferior

lower in rank or quality

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Where does the word "inferior" come from? It comes from Latin inferior, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "inferior" come from? It comes from Latin inferior, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Inferior’s story begins in Latin: inferior meant “lower.” Comparative of 'inferus', below. It reached English by 1400s as inferior. 'inferiority complex' dates from the 1910s. Today, inferior means lower in rank or quality.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient inferior "lower", comparative of 'inferus', below.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s inferior "lower", 'inferiority complex' dates from the 1910s.

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