在英语中，并不是所有的形容词表示比较时都用than，有几个以-or结尾源于拉丁语的形容词，由于其原级已具有比较的含义，在表示比较时不用than，而用to。这类形容词不多，计有：anterior / prior to(先于)，posterior to (在……之后)，superior to(优于)，inferior to(劣于)，junior to(年幼于)，senior to(年长于)。

　　【例如】

　　This task is prior to all others.

　　He thinks he is superior to his classmates because his father is a very important people.

　　The Red Army was inferior in equipment but superior in morale to the enemy.

　　My arrival in Beijing is posterior to that of our manager.

　　It happened prior to my arrival.

　　The official’s rank is senior to his father’s.

　　Mary is two years senior to me, and her sister is junior to me by three years.