What does "inferior" mean?

Additional senses

1. 2.(Astron.) (a) Nearer the sun than the earth is; as, the inferior or interior planets; an inferior conjunction of Mercury or Venus. (b) Below the horizon; as, the inferior part of a meridian, 4. (Bot.) (a) Situated below some other organ; -- said of a calyx when free from the ovary, and therefore below it, or of an ovary with an adherent and therefore inferior calyx. (b) On the side of a flower which is next the bract; anterior.
2. 3.(Min.) Junior or subordinate in rank; as, an inferior officer. Inferior court (Law), a court subject to the jurisdiction of another court known as the superior, or higher, court. -- Inferior letter, Inferior figure (Print.), a small letter or figure standing at the bottom of the line (opposed to superior letter or figure), as in A2, Bn, 2 and n are inferior characters. -- Inferior tide, the tide corresponding to the moon's transit of the meridian, when below the horizon.
3. 4.A person lower in station, rank, intellect, etc., than another. A great person gets more by obliging his inferior than by disdaining him. South.