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INFERIORITY
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
An inferior quality
Synonyms:
inferiority; low quality
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("inferiority" is a kind of...):
caliber; calibre; quality (a degree or grade of excellence or worth)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "inferiority"):
poorness (the quality of being poorly made or maintained)
scrawniness; scrubbiness (the property of being stunted and inferior in size or quality)
second class (not the highest quality in a classification)
wretchedness (the quality of being poor and inferior and sorry)
Antonym:
superiority (the quality of being superior)
Derivation:
inferior (of low or inferior quality)
Sense 2
Meaning:
The quality of being a competitive disadvantage
Synonyms:
inferiority; unfavorable position
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Hypernyms ("inferiority" is a kind of...):
disadvantage (the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position)
Sense 3
Meaning:
The state of being inferior
Synonyms:
inferiority; lower rank; lower status
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("inferiority" is a kind of...):
low status; lowliness; lowness (a position of inferior status; low in station or rank or fortune or estimation)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "inferiority"):
backseat (a secondary or inferior position or status)
shade (a position of relative inferiority)
subordinateness; subsidiarity (secondary importance)
Derivation:
inferior (falling short of some prescribed norm)
Context examples:
Not that I humbled myself by a slavish notion of inferiority: on the contrary, I just said—You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protegee, and to be grateful for such respectful and kind treatment as, if you do your duty, you have a right to expect at his hands.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
His opinion of Louisa Musgrove's inferiority, an opinion which he had seemed solicitous to give, his wonder at Captain Benwick, his feelings as to a first, strong attachment; sentences begun which he could not finish, his half averted eyes and more than half expressive glance, all, all declared that he had a heart returning to her at least; that anger, resentment, avoidance, were no more; and that they were succeeded, not merely by friendship and regard, but by the tenderness of the past.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
Marianne, who had never much toleration for any thing like impertinence, vulgarity, inferiority of parts, or even difference of taste from herself, was at this time particularly ill-disposed, from the state of her spirits, to be pleased with the Miss Steeles, or to encourage their advances; and to the invariable coldness of her behaviour towards them, which checked every endeavour at intimacy on their side, Elinor principally attributed that preference of herself which soon became evident in the manners of both, but especially of Lucy, who missed no opportunity of engaging her in conversation, or of striving to improve their acquaintance by an easy and frank communication of her sentiments.
(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)
How can Emma imagine she has any thing to learn herself, while Harriet is presenting such a delightful inferiority?
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.
(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)
I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
I honestly said as much to Mr. E. when he was speaking of my future home, and expressing his fears lest the retirement of it should be disagreeable; and the inferiority of the house too—knowing what I had been accustomed to—of course he was not wholly without apprehension.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
And as for objects of interest, objects for the affections, which is in truth the great point of inferiority, the want of which is really the great evil to be avoided in not marrying, I shall be very well off, with all the children of a sister I love so much, to care about.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
