Prefix · above / superior level
Signals a superior level or top quality: superhero, supernatural, supermarket, superhuman.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Super- comes from Latin "super" (above, over) and signals a level above the ordinary: superhero = a hero with exceptional powers; supernatural = beyond what is natural; supermarket = a store larger than a regular market. The core idea is always "more than the standard" or "above the ordinary."
Super- is one of the most productive prefixes in modern and informal English: superfood, superstar, superfast. It is also used as a standalone informal adjective: "That's super!" It is the prefix of the exceptional and the extraordinary.
Attaches to nouns and adjectives with no spelling change:
Super- is identical in Spanish and English. Pronunciation: /ˈsuːpər/, stressed on the first syllable. The "u" is long, as in "moon."
super-/ˈsuːpər/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
"Superior" comes from Latin "superius" (comparative of superus). It is not formed from super- in modern English. Superior = of higher rank or quality than another.
"Supernatural" covers all phenomena beyond natural laws: gods, magic, ghosts, miracles. "Paranormal" is more specific: phenomena that defy conventional scientific explanation. Supernatural is the broader category.
A trick to remember it
Super- works exactly the same in Spanish and English: superhéroe = superhero, supermercado = supermarket, sobrenatural = supernatural. If you know the Spanish super- word, the English version almost always exists and sounds identical.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"She does the weekly shopping at a large ___ that sells everything from fresh produce to electronics."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What is the difference between "supernatural" and "paranormal"?
The prefix super- signals a superior level or top quality: superhero, supernatural, supermarket, superhuman. In Spanish it usually maps to super-.
The prefix super- is pronounced /ˈsuːpər/. For example, "superhero".
"hero" becomes "superhero". It is a typical example of the super- prefix.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.