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Inferior vs Subordinary - What's the difference?

inferior | subordinary |

As nouns the difference between inferior and subordinary

is that inferior is a person of lower stature to another while subordinary is (heraldry) any device that is less common than the normal ordinaries.

As an adjective inferior

is of lower quality.

inferior

English

Alternative forms

* inferiour (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • of lower quality
    • Anna had always felt inferior to her brother due to poor school grades.
  • * Dryden
    • Whether they are equal or inferior to my other poems, an author is the most improper judge.
  • of lower rank
    • an inferior officer
  • located below
  • # (typography) Printed in subscript.
  • an inferior figure or letter
  • (botany) Situated below some other organ; said of a calyx when free from the ovary, and therefore below it, or of an ovary with an adherent and therefore inferior calyx.
  • (botany) On the side of a flower which is next to the bract; anterior.
  • (astronomy) Nearer to the Sun than the Earth is.
    • the inferior''' or interior planets; an '''inferior conjunction of Mercury or Venus
  • (astronomy) Below the horizon.
    • the inferior part of a meridian

    Usage notes

    (term) and (superior) are generally followed by (to); (than) is seen sometimes, but is viewed as wrong.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * superior

    Coordinate terms

    *

    Related terms

    * inferiority

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • a person of lower stature to another
    • As you are my inferior , I can tell you to do anything I want.

    Antonyms

    * superior

    External links

    * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    subordinary

    English

    Noun

    (subordinaries)
  • (heraldry) Any device that is less common than the normal ordinaries