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[in-feer-ee-er] /ɪnˈfɪər i ər/

adjective
1.
lower in station, rank, degree, or grade (often followed by to):
a rank inferior to colonel.
2.
lower in place or position; closer to the bottom or base:
descending into the inferior regions of the earth.
3.
of comparatively low grade; poor in quality; substandard:
an inferior product.
4.
less important, valuable, or worthy:
B+ bonds are inferior to AAA bonds.
5.
acting or performing in a way that is comparatively poor or mediocre:
an inferior observer of human nature.
6.
Botany.

7.
Anatomy.

8.
Astronomy. lying below the horizon:
the inferior part of a meridian.
9.
Printing. written or printed low on a line of text, as the “2” in H 2 O; subscript.
Compare (def 10).
noun
10.
a person inferior to another or others, as in rank or merit.
11.
Also called subscript. Printing. a letter, number, or symbol written or printed low on a line of text.
Compare (def 12).
/ɪnˈfɪərɪə/
adjective
1.
lower in value or quality
2.
lower in rank, position, or status; subordinate
3.
not of the best; mediocre; commonplace
4.
lower in position; situated beneath
5.
(of a plant ovary) enclosed by and fused with the receptacle so that it is situated below the other floral parts
6.
(astronomy)

7.
(printing) (of a character) printed at the foot of an ordinary character, as the 2 in H2O
noun
8.
an inferior person
9.
(printing) an inferior character
n.

1590s, probably from Medieval Latin *inferioritas; see inferior + -ity. Inferiority complex first attested 1922.

The surrender of life is nothing to sinking down into acknowledgment of inferiority. [John C. Calhoun]

adj.

early 15c., of land, “low, lower,” from Latin inferior “lower, further down” (also used figuratively), comparative of inferus (adj.) “that is below or beneath,” from infra “below” (see infra-). Meaning “lower in degree, rank, or importance” is from 1530s; also in an absolute sense, “of low quality or rank.”
n.

“person inferior to another in rank, etc.,” early 15c., from inferior (adj.).

inferior in·fe·ri·or (ĭn-fēr’ē-ər)
adj.

in·fe’ri·or’i·ty (-ôr’ĭ-tē) n.