noun
superman
SOO-puh-man
noun
1
A man with extraordinary or seemingly superhuman abilities.
"He's no superman — he needs help just like everyone else."
2
An idealised, more highly evolved type of human being, as described in philosophy.
"Nietzsche's concept of the superman describes a person who creates their own values."
How to Use Superman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA man of extraordinary powers or abilities, whether in philosophy, everyday speech, or comic books.
Common pairings
like a superman
superman complex
Word Forms
supermen plural, Supermen plural
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Etymology
A calque (loan translation) of the German Übermensch, coined by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883); the English "superman" was popularised by George Bernard Shaw in 1903 and later reinforced by the DC Comics character, who debuted in 1938.