English · Word Candidate

inferior

/ɪnˈfɪə.ɹi.ə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: inferiors

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Lower in rank, status, or quality.

Adjective

Anna had always felt inferior to her brother due to poor school grades.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Lower in rank, status, or quality. — Of low rank, standard or quality.

Adjective

an inferior officer

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

A person of lower rank, stature, or ability to another.

Noun

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

An inferior letter, figure, or symbol.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

What does “inferior” mean?

Lower in rank, status, or quality.

Is “inferior” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.