superstructure
noun
su·per·struc·ture
| \ ˈsü-pər-ˌstrək-chər
\
\
Definition of superstructure
1a
: an entity, concept, or complex based on a more fundamental one
b
: social institutions (such as the law or politics) that are in Marxist theory erected upon the economic base
2
: a structure built as a vertical extension of something else: such as
a
: all of a building above the basement
b
: the structural part of a ship above the main deck
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from superstructure
superstructural
\ ˌsü-pər-ˈstrək-chə-rəl
, -ˈstrək-shrəl \
adjective
, -ˈstrək-shrəl \
adjective
Examples of superstructure in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the trial of its utility the engine reached a speed of 120 miles an hour and maintained it for 22 minutes, but the superstructure collapsed under the tremendous strain. — Kevin Leonard, baltimoresun.com, "The dream of electric trains has origins in Laurel," 6 Sep. 2019 Artificial turf slopes upward via a scaffolding superstructure. — Travis Deshong, Washington Post, "With ‘Lawn,’ the National Building Museum brings summer indoors," 3 July 2019 The ship’s superstructure, including bridge, mast, radars, antennas, and other electronics, were encased in a single giant trapezoidal tower, reducing hundreds of surfaces and facets to just six smooth, flat surfaces. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Everything We Know About the USS Zumwalt Destroyers," 5 Aug. 2019 There were stories about the arrival of the steel superstructure, built in the Bay Area, and of the concrete girders, made in Long Beach. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "50 years later, Coronado bridge’s iconic status masks its controversial origins," 4 Aug. 2019 Astronomers expected these hot baryons to conform to a cosmic superstructure, one made of invisible dark matter, that spanned the immense voids between galaxies. — Quanta Magazine, "The Last of the Universe’s Ordinary Matter Has Been Found," 10 Sep. 2018 On teeth, on pipes, on rocks and in the ocean, microbes glom together by the billions and build sticky organic superstructures around themselves. — Quanta Magazine, "Bacteria Use Brainlike Bursts of Electricity to Communicate," 5 Sep. 2017 The radar is installed in a number of bulges on the ship's superstructure, again, like American ships. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "China Launches Asia's Largest Surface Warship," 28 June 2017 In addition to the hole punched in the hull, the ship experienced extensive damage to its superstructure, as the Crystal struck a glancing blow against the warship. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "New Photos Reveal Extent of Damage to the USS Fitzgerald," 12 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'superstructure.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for superstructure
superstructure
noun
English Language Learners Definition of superstructure
: the part of a structure (such as a ship or bridge) that is above the lowest part
See the full definition for superstructure in the English Language Learners Dictionary