supreme
Noun pluralsupremes
Pluralsupremes
Formssupremes, supreming, supremed
- 1Having more power than anyone or anything else.
Like the captain of a ship, whose word the whole crew must obey.
The supreme ruler controlled every part of the empire.
In their kingdom, the queen held supreme power over the land.
UsageYou often see it in names like the Supreme Court.
Similarpredominant, preponderant
Oppositesubordinate
Note
- 2The very best, the greatest, or the highest possible.
Like the top of a mountain: nothing stands higher.
Winning the gold medal gave her a feeling of supreme joy.
The old chef takes supreme care with every plate he sends out.
UsageOften with feelings and qualities: supreme joy, supreme care.
Similarutmost, extreme, greatest, ultimate, total
Oppositeslight, minimal, inferior
Note
- 3A pizza loaded with many popular toppings like pepperoni, peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
Like a sandwich that already comes with everything on it.
We ordered a large supreme to share at the party.
The supreme comes with pepperoni, onions, and green peppers.
UsageSay a supreme or two supremes.
Note
Less common meanings
- 4To cut a citrus fruit into clean segments, taking off the skin, white parts, seeds, and thin walls.
Like peeling an orange and then freeing each piece from its thin skin.
First, supreme the orange so there are no seeds or skin left.
He learned to supreme a grapefruit for the winter salad.
UsageSay supreme an orange or supreme a lemon.
Similarsegment
Note
- 5A piece of chicken or duck breast with the wing bone still on it.
The chef served each guest a duck supreme with roasted vegetables.
She browned the chicken supreme in butter before baking it.
UsageSay chicken supreme or duck supreme.
Note
- 6A piece of food with all the skin, bones, and parts you don't eat taken out.
She bought a salmon supreme so there were no bones to worry about.
Each supreme was ready to cook, with no skin or bones left at all.
UsageSay a salmon supreme or a supreme of fish.
Similarfillet
Note
- 7The very top, or highest point, of something.
- 8Found at the very top of a plant or other structure.
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Practice
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Origin
From Latin suprēmus, meaning the highest, related to a word for 'that is above'. It came into English partly through French and partly straight from Latin. The cooking sense comes partly from French suprême.
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 5 facts
- The ultimate Latin source is suprēmus. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin suprēmus means 'the highest'. fr.wiktionary.org
- Suprēmus is related to a word meaning 'that is above'. en.wiktionary.org
- It came into English partly through French and partly directly from Latin. en.wiktionary.org
- The cooking sense comes partly from French suprême. en.wiktionary.org