What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Super vs Above - What's the difference?

super | above |

As adjectives the difference between super and above

is that super is super while above is of heaven; heavenly.

As a preposition above is

physically over; on top of; worn on top of, as clothing.

As an adverb above is

directly overhead; vertically on top of.

As a noun above is

heaven.

super

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Adjective

(-)
  • Of excellent quality, superfine.
  • better than average, better than usual; wonderful.
  • Synonyms
    * (better) awesome, excellent
    Derived terms
    * super-duper * supercunt

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (informal) Very; extremely (used like the prefix super- ).
  • The party was super awesome.

    Etymology 2

    From (superintendent)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal, Northeastern US) Abbreviation of superintendent in the sense of a building's resident manager, sometimes clarified as "building super".
  • Etymology 3

    From (superannuation)

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (Australia, New Zealand, informal, uncountable) Short form of superannuation, the Australian/New Zealand retirement benefits or pension scheme.
  • Jane looked forward to collecting a large super payout when she retired.

    Etymology 4

    Shortened form of (superhive).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (beekeeping) An empty box placed above the existing boxes of the beehive in order to allow the colony to expand or store additional honey.
  • Synonyms
    * (beekeeping) duplet
    Antonyms
    * (beekeeping) nadir

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (beekeeping) To add or to place a atop the existing boxes of the beehive.
  • * 1917 Dadant, C. P., First Lessons in Beekeeping ; revised & rewritten edition, 1968, by M. G. Dadant and J. C. Dadant, p 73:
  • The question is: when is the best time to super ?

    Etymology 5

    Shortened form of (superhero).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (comics, slang) superhero.
  • * (seecites)
  • Etymology 6

    Shortened form of (supernumerary).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (theatre) Someone outside the normal company, but appearing on stage with no lines to speak.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=For this scene, a large number of supers are engaged, and in order to further swell the crowd, practically all the available stage hands have to ‘walk on’ dressed in various coloured dominoes, and all wearing masks.}}

    Anagrams

    * ----

    above

    English

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Physically over; on top of; worn on top of, as clothing.
  • In or to a higher place; higher than; on or over the upper surface; — opposed to below'' or ''beneath .
  • * (rfdate) Translation of (Genesis) 2:20,
  • Fowl that may fly above the earth.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author=[http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/william-e-conner-1 William E. Conner]
  • , title=[http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/feature/2013/3/an-acoustic-arms-race An Acoustic Arms Race] , volume=101, issue=3, page=206-7, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close (less than half a meter) above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them.}}
  • Farther north than.
  • Rising; appearing out of reach height-wise.
  • Figuratively, higher than; superior to in any respect; surpassing; higher in measure, degree, volume, or pitch, etc. than; out of reach; not exposed to; not likely to be affected by; incapable of negative actions or thoughts.
  • * (rfdate) (Marlowe),
  • Thy worth […] is actions above my gifts.
  • * (rfdate) translation of 36:13,
  • I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun.
  • Higher in rank, status, or position.
  • In addition to; besides.
  • Surpassing in number or quantity; more than; as, above a hundred.
  • In preference to.
  • Too proud to stoop; averse to; disinclined; too honorable to give.
  • (theater) Upstage.
  • Beyond; on the other side.
  • Usage notes

    * (surpassing in number or quantity) Passing into the adverbial sense.

    Derived terms

    * above all * above average * above one's bend * above the law * above the salt * over and above

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Directly overhead; vertically on top of.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=The climate of Tibet: Pole-land
  • , date=2013-05-11, volume=407, issue=8835, page=80 , magazine=(The Economist) , url=http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21577341-worlds-third-largest-area-ice-about-undergo-systematic , passage=Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.}}
  • Higher in the same page; earlier in the order as far as writing products go.
  • * (rfdate)
  • That was said above .
  • Into or from heaven; in the sky.
  • He's in a better place now, floating free as the clouds ''above .
  • In a higher place; upstairs; farther upstream.
  • Higher in rank, power, or position.
  • He appealed to the court above .
  • (archaic) In addition.
  • More in number.
  • Above zero; above freezing.
  • It was a cold day at only 5 above .
  • (biology) On the upper half or the dorsal surface of an animal.
  • The sparrow I saw was rufous above and off-white below.

    Derived terms

    * "Above" is also used as the first part of a compound in the sense of before'', ''previously''; as, ''above''-cited, ''above''-described, ''above''-mentioned, ''above''-named, ''above''-said, ''above''-specified, ''above''-written, ''above -given.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Of heaven; heavenly.
  • Being located higher on the same page or on a preceding page.
  • Usage notes

    * Above is often used elliptically as an adjective by omitting the word said'', ''mentioned'', ''quoted , or the like: ** the above (-said) observations ** the above (-cited) reference ** the above (-quoted) articles

    Noun

    (-)
  • Heaven.
  • Something, especially a person's name in legal documents, that appears higher on the same page or on a preceding page.
  • Higher authority.
  • Usage notes

  • Above is often used further elliptically as a noun by omitting the noun, where it is should be clear what is omitted.
  • See the above .

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "The vertical axis", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8 * *