inferior than, inferior to
- inferior than, inferior to
Although
inferior than is widely used, idiomatic usage decrees the proper expression to be
inferior to. This usage is not a matter of grammar but of idiom, a speech form that is peculiar to itself: "This automobile is
inferior to (not
inferior than) that one."
See also superior than.
Dictionary of problem words and expressions.
Harry Shaw.
1975.
Look at other dictionaries:
inferior — n Inferior, underling, subordinate mean one, usually a person, who is lower than another. Inferior, the most inclusive of these terms, may be applied to anyone that is lower in some significant matter (as rank, station, quality, or value) than… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
inferior — is not a true comparative (like lower, for example) and is followed by to, not than: • When we are together there s no competition; neither of us feels better than or inferior to the other J. Dawson, 1990. When used attributively (before a noun) … Modern English usage
Inferior — In*fe ri*or, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf[ e]rieur. See {Under}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Inferior court — Inferior In*fe ri*or, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf[ e]rieur. See {Under}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Inferior figure — Inferior In*fe ri*or, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf[ e]rieur. See {Under}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Inferior letter — Inferior In*fe ri*or, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf[ e]rieur. See {Under}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Inferior tide — Inferior In*fe ri*or, a. [L., compar. of inferus that is below, underneath, the lower; akin to E. under: cf. F. inf[ e]rieur. See {Under}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Lower in place, rank, value, excellence, etc.; less important or valuable; subordinate;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Inferior Five — Showcase #62 featuring the Inferior Five Publication information Publisher DC Comics … Wikipedia
Inferior — In*fe ri*or, n. A person lower in station, rank, intellect, etc., than another. [1913 Webster] A great person gets more by obliging his inferior than by disdaining him. South. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
inferior court — in·fe·ri·or court n: a court that is subordinate to and whose decisions are subject to review by the highest court in a judicial system (as of a state or country); specif: a court having limited and specified jurisdiction rather than general… … Law dictionary
than — 1. Than is normally used to introduce the second element in a comparison, and acts either as a conjunction (He is older than I am) or as a preposition (He is older than me). In uses such as He is older than I, than is normally regarded as a… … Modern English usage