Supercilious means behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others, showing haughty disdain, arrogance, and condescension. It describes someone who is smugly superior, looking down on others as if they are not worthy. The word comes from Latin superciliosus, from supercilium meaning eyebrow, because a supercilious person raises their eyebrows in a haughty, disdainful way. Literally, it means raising the eyebrow. A supercilious person might have a supercilious smile, a supercilious tone of voice, or a supercilious attitude, implying they think they are better, smarter, or more important than everyone else. For example, a supercilious waiter might act as if customers are bothering him, or a supercilious boss might dismiss ideas with a sneer. Synonyms include arrogant, haughty, condescending, disdainful, snobbish, patronizing, smug, and scornful. The opposite would be humble, modest, or respectful. Supercilious is a negative word, always implying unpleasant arrogance. For example, She gave a supercilious laugh when I mispronounced the wine means she laughed in a superior, mocking way. It is often used to describe facial expressions, tones, or manners that show contempt. So supercilious means arrogantly superior, looking down on others with raised eyebrows and disdain.
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