inferiority complex

noun

A sense of inferiority; the feeling that one is inferior to others in certain aspects.

Opposite
superiority complex
OriginGerman Minderwertigkeitskomplex →
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Meanings

nouninferiority complex (plural inferiority complexes)

plural inferiority complexes

  1. human sciencesA sense of inferiority; the feeling that one is inferior to others in certain aspects.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
superiority complex

Origin

  1. GermanMinderwertigkeitskomplex
  2. Englishinferiority complex

Calque of German Minderwertigkeitskomplex (literally “complex of lesser value”), coined in 1920 by Alfred Adler.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 自卑感, 自卑情結 /自卑情结
  • 自卑感 (zìbēigǎn)a sense of inferiority
  • 自卑情結 /自卑情结 (zìbēi qíngjié)a sense of inferiority
  • 劣等感 (lièděnggǎn)a sense of inferiority
  • 妄自菲薄 (wàngzìfěibó)a sense of inferiority
Czech komplex méněcennosti, mindrák
  • komplex méněcennostia sense of inferiority
  • mindráka sense of inferiority
Danish mindreværdskompleks, mindreværdsfølelse
  • mindreværdskompleksa sense of inferiority
  • mindreværdsfølelsea sense of inferiority
Dutch minderwaardigheidscomplex
  • minderwaardigheidscomplexa sense of inferiority
Esperanto minuskomplekso
  • minuskompleksoa sense of inferiority
Finnish alemmuuskompleksi
  • alemmuuskompleksia sense of inferiority
French complexe d'infériorité, sentiment d'infériorité
  • complexe d'inférioritéa sense of inferiority
  • sentiment d'inférioritéa sense of inferiority
German Minderwertigkeitskomplex
  • Minderwertigkeitskomplexa sense of inferiority
Hebrew תסביך נחיתות
  • תסביך נחיתות (tasbíkh nekhitút)a sense of inferiority
Hindi हीनभावना
  • हीनभावना (hīnbhāvnā)a sense of inferiority
Hungarian kisebbrendűségi komplexus
  • kisebbrendűségi komplexusa sense of inferiority
Irish coimpléasc ísleachta
  • coimpléasc ísleachtaa sense of inferiority
Italian complesso d'inferiorità
  • complesso d'inferioritàa sense of inferiority
Japanese 劣等感
  • 劣等感 (rettōkan)a sense of inferiority
Korean 콤플렉스, 열등감
  • 콤플렉스 (kompeullekseu)a sense of inferiority
  • 열등감 (yeoldeunggam)a sense of inferiority
  • 열등감 콤플렉스 (yeoldeunggam kompeullekseu)a sense of inferiority
Polish kompleks niższości
  • kompleks niższościa sense of inferiority
Portuguese complexo de inferioridade
  • complexo de inferioridadea sense of inferiority
Romanian complex de inferioritate, sentiment de inferioritate
  • complex de inferioritatea sense of inferiority
  • sentiment de inferioritatea sense of inferiority
Russian ко́мплекс неполноце́нности
  • ко́мплекс неполноце́нности (kómpleks nepolnocénnosti)a sense of inferiority
Spanish complejo de inferioridad
  • complejo de inferioridada sense of inferiority
Swedish mindervärdeskomplex
  • mindervärdeskomplexa sense of inferiority
Tagalog panganganino, pamamalahibo
  • panganganinoa sense of inferiority
  • pamamalahiboa sense of inferiority
Tamil தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மை, தாழ்வுணர்ச்சி
  • தாழ்வு மனப்பான்மை (tāḻvu maṉappāṉmai)a sense of inferiority
  • தாழ்வுணர்ச்சி (tāḻvuṇarcci)a sense of inferiority
Thai ปมด้อย
  • ปมด้อย (bpom-dɔ̂i)a sense of inferiority
Turkish aşağılık kompleksi
  • aşağılık kompleksia sense of inferiority
Ukrainian ко́мплекс меншова́ртості, ко́мплекс неповноці́нності
  • ко́мплекс меншова́ртості (kómpleks menšovártosti)a sense of inferiority
  • ко́мплекс неповноці́нності (kómpleks nepovnocínnosti)a sense of inferiority
Vietnamese mặc cảm tự ti, tự ti mặc cảm
  • mặc cảm tự tia sense of inferiority
  • tự ti mặc cảma sense of inferiority
  • phức cảm tự tia sense of inferiority
Cite this entry
APA

inferiority complex. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inferiority%20complex

MLA

“inferiority complex.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inferiority%20complex. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inferiority complex,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inferiority%20complex.

Source: inferiority complex on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.