Extraordinary abilities or forces beyond normal human capability, or nations with dominant military, political, and economic strength.
Combines 'super-' (Latin for above/beyond) with 'powers' (from Latin 'potentia' meaning ability). Popularized in comic books in the 1930s-40s to describe superhero abilities, later applied to geopolitics.
The term 'superpower' was first used for comic book heroes, but during the Cold War it got borrowed by politicians to describe the USA and Soviet Union, showing how pop culture words can become serious political language.
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