Superlative

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WOTD - 11 March 2008    

English

Noun

Superlative (plural Superlatives)
  1. The highest extent or degree of something.
  2. (grammar) The form of an adjective that expresses which of more than two items has the highest degree of the quality expressed by the adjective; in English, formed by appending "-est" to the end of the adjective (for some short adjectives only) or putting "most" before it.
    The superlative of "big" is "biggest"
  3. (informal) An adjective used to praise something exceptional.
    Lincoln is amazing, wonderful, fantastic, and many other superlatives I can’t think of right now!

Synonyms

Related terms

Adjective

Superlative (not comparable)

  1. Exceptionally good; of the highest quality; superb.
  2. (grammar) Of or relating to a superlative.

Notes

Rather formal, reflecting its Latin etymology; more colloquial alternatives include exceptional, fabulous, above and beyond, and others.

Synonyms

Thesaurus

Olympian, absolute, accomplished, ace, aerial, aggrandized, aggrandizement, airy, altitudinous, amplification, amplified, arrant, ascending, aspiring, ballyhoo, ballyhooed, best, big talk, blowing up, burlesque, capital, caricature, champion, choice, chosen, classical, colossal, complete, consummate, crack, crass, cream, dazzling, decided, definitive, dilatation, dilation, disproportionate, dominating, downright, egregious, elect, elevated, elite, eminent, enhancement, enlargement, ethereal, exaggerated, exaggerating, exaggeration, exalted, excellent, exceptional, excess, excessive, exorbitance, exorbitant, expansion, extraordinary, extravagance, extravagant, extreme, fantastic, fat, finest, finished, first-class, first-rate, flagrant, flower, glaring, grandiloquence, grandiloquent, great, greatest, gross, haughty, heightening, high, high-flown, high-pitched, high-reaching, high-set, high-up, highest, huckstering, hyperbole, hyperbolic, hyperbolism, incomparable, inflated, inflation, inordinacy, inordinate, intolerable, lofty, magnification, magnificent, magnified, matchless, maximal, maximum, monumental, most, mounting, nonesuch, nonpareil, optimum, out-and-out, outright, outstanding, outtopping, overdone, overdrawn, overemphasis, overemphasized, overemphatic, overestimated, overestimation, overgreat, overkill, overlarge, overlooking, overpraised, oversold, overstated, overstatement, overstressed, overtopping, overwrought, paragon, paramount, peerless, perfect, pick, positive, precious, prime, prize, prodigal, prodigality, profound, profuse, profuseness, prominent, pronounced, proper, puffed, puffery, puffing up, queen, quintessence, rank, regular, select, sensationalism, shattering, shocking, singular, smashing, soaring, spectacular, spiring, stark, stark-staring, steep, sterling, stretched, stretching, sublime, super, superb, superexcellent, superior, supernal, supreme, surpassing, tall talk, terrific, the best, the best ever, the tops, the veriest, the very best, thorough, thoroughgoing, tip-top, top, top-notch, topless, toplofty, topmost, topping, total, touted, touting, towering, towery, travesty, unbearable, unconscionable, undeniable, unequivocal, unique, unmitigated, unqualified, unrelieved, unspoiled, unsurpassed, uplifted, uppermost, upreared, utmost, utter

Etymology

From Middle English superlatyf from Old French superlatif from Late Latin superlātīvus from Latin superlātus (“extravagant, of hyperbole”), past participle of superfero (“carry over”) from super (“above”) + fero (“bear, carry”).

Pronunciation

Translations

Noun

highest degree of something
form of adjective expressing "most"
adjective used to praise

Adjective

exceptionally good
of or pertaining to a superlative

See also

Italian

Adjective

superlative f.

  1. feminine plural form of superlativo
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