superstructure

noun

su·​per·​struc·​ture ˈsü-pər-ˌstrək-chər 

1

a

: 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

superstructural

ˌsü-pər-ˈstrək-chə-rəl 

-ˈstrək-shrəl

adjective

Examples of superstructure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bridge superstructure can then be built, including girders, beams, the deck and railing. —Joe Marusak july 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2025

While the shows have changed over the years, the underlying fountain superstructure has remained unchanged. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 7 July 2025

Replacing the plain-vanilla look of the previous iteration, Alfa G’s black hull with a signature red stripe and white superstructure complete this remarkable conversion. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 June 2025

Inspired by platforms like Shopify and Atlassian that provide infrastructure for others to build on, Den aims to become the superstructure for AI-native teams to scale smarter and faster. —Dasha Shunina, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for superstructure

• infrastructure
• macrostructure
• microstructure
• nanostructure
• ultrastructure
• restructure
• substructure
• structure