Supercilious
/suːpəˈsɪlɪəs/
Soop-er-sill-e-us
adjective
- Thinking or behaving like one is superior to others.
“a supercilious marketing manager.”
Who was the first person you thought of when you read that definition?
Because we all know someone who behaves like they’re better than us.
The bearded barista in town who looks down his nose when you ask for a white coffee.
Or the LinkedInfluencer who insists on speaking to people like they’re children.
“Don’t use long words in your writing. People don’t like long words.”
Actually, Nobby Knowall, I like them, and I’ll speak to people like they’re grownups, thanks very much.
Your boss is definitely supercilious. I imagine you have your moments, too.
Because when you realise that supercilious effectively means ‘haughty eyebrow’, you can picture the look it describes.
You might be wearing it now, reading this.
It’s the expression Alex Turner would say is ‘that silent disappointment face, the one that I can’t bear’ in Arctic Monkey’s banger, Mardy Bum.
When someone is being supercilious, you can feel their disapproval or disdain.
Like I feel from my daughters when I forget my place and act as if I’m in charge.
“What do you know, Dad?”
Well, my darlings, I know that good copy informs your audience without being patronising.
You don’t want people reading your content to feel like you’re speaking down to them.
Wait, that’s not what I’ve done here is it?
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