Homo superior

• Homo Superior, Homo superioris

From Latin homo superior (literally “superior human”), modeled after New Latin Homo sapiens (literally “wise human”). Coined by Olaf Stapledon in his novel Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest (1935).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌhəʊməʊ suːˈpɪəɹi.ə(ɹ)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌhoʊmoʊ suːˈpɪɹiɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɪəɹiə(ɹ)

Homo superior

1. (science fiction) A species of man more advanced than Homo sapiens; a superhuman. [from 20th c.]

   Synonym: Homo novus

   • 1935, Olaf Stapledon, Odd John, Gollancz, published 2012, page 159:

     If this was the way of Homo superior, I said, thank God I was another species.

   • 1963 September 10, Stan Lee, “X-Men”, in The X-Men, volume 1, number 1, page 11:

     Magneto: "The first phase of my plan shall be to show my power... to make Homo sapiens bow to Homo superior!"

   • 1971, “Oh! You Pretty Things”, in Hunky Dory, performed by David Bowie:

     You gotta make way¶ for the Homo Superior

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Homo superior.

• (species): Primates – order; Haplorhini – suborder; Simiiformes – infraorder; Catarrhini – parvorder; Hominoidea – superfamily; Hominidae – family; Homininae – subfamily; Hominini – tribe; Hominina – subtribe; Homo – genus

• slan, mutant, superman, overman, übermensch

• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2025), “homo superior n.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.