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Inferiority Complex and Superiority Complex

Posted by Bruce Kahl on August 14, 2004

In Reply to: Inferiority Complex and Superiority Complex posted by ABC on August 13, 2004

: The above are nouns. What is the adjective to describe people who have inferiority complex? And what is the adjective to describe people who have superiority complex? Some people develop superiority complex after suffering from inferiority complex for some time. What is the adjective to describe such people? I know "short man syndrome" is a noun but it is not an adjective.

Technically, there is ONE noun above and it is "complex".
"Inferiority" and "superiority" are being used as adjectives.
They answer the question "What type of complex"?

Medically, these phrases can be considered nouns by the fact that they are conditions and/or diseases of the human spirit.

From Psych 101: "an inferiority complex is a cluster of repressed fears to which the sufferer will overcompesate with a superiority complex."

The link below may give you some places to search for the answer to your question. In additon some really smart wordsmiths tend to hang out here so maybe someone can post something for you.

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