different between overbearing vs supercilious

English

Etymology

From overbear (“to bear down (on)”) +? -ing.

Verb

overbearing

1. present participle of overbear

Adjective

overbearing (comparative more overbearing, superlative most overbearing)

1. Overly bossy, domineering, or arrogant.

Synonyms

• demanding, dictatorial, dominant, haughty, high-handed
• See also Thesaurus:bossy
• See also Thesaurus:arrogant

Derived terms

• overbearingly
• overbearingness

Translations

Further reading

• overbearing in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• overbearing in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• overbearing at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Etymology

From Latin supercili?sus (“haughty”), from supercilium (“eyebrow, arrogance”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?sju?.p?(?)?s?.li.?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?s(j)u.p??s?.li.?s/
• Rhymes: -?li?s

Adjective

supercilious (comparative more supercilious, superlative most supercilious)

1. Arrogantly superior; showing contemptuous indifference; haughty.
   • Now he was a sturdy, straw haired man of thirty with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner.

   • 2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, "British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):

     Buffeted by criticism of his policy on Europe, battered by rebellion in the ranks over his bill to legalize same-sex marriage and wounded by the perception that he is supercilious, contemptuous and out of touch with mainstream Conservatism, Mr. Cameron earlier this week took the highly unusual step of sending a mass e-mail (or, as he called it, “a personal note”) to his party’s grass-roots members.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:arrogant

Derived terms

• superciliously
• superciliousness

Translations