superlative

See also: Superlative

English

WOTD – 11 March 2008

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /suːˈpɜː.lə.tɪv/, /sjuːˈpɜː.lə.tɪv/
• (US) IPA^(key): /suˈpɝː.lə.tɪv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

superlative (plural superlatives)

1. The highest extent or degree of something.
2. (grammar) The form of an adjective that expresses which of several 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.

   Daniel is amazing, wonderful, fantastic, and many other superlatives I can’t think of right now!

Synonyms

• (highest degree): acme, peak

Hyponyms

• absolute superlative
• relative superlative

Related terms

• superlative degree

Translations

highest degree of something

• Afrikaans: superlatief (af)
• Arabic: صيغَة التفضيل‏‎
• Czech: superlativ (cs)
• Finnish: huippu (fi)
• German: Superlativ (de) m
• Hebrew: מופלג‏‎
• Hindi: सर्वोत्कृष्ट m (sarvotkŕṣṭ)
• Italian: superlativo (it)
• Japanese: 最上級 (ja) (さいじょうきゅう, saijōkyū)
• Korean: 최고의 (choegoui), 최상급 (ko) (choesanggeup)
• Macedonian: суперлатив (superlativ)

• Mandarin: 最高级 (zh)
• Norwegian: superlativ (no)
• Polish: superlatyw m inan
• Portuguese: superlativo (pt)
• Romanian: superlativ (ro) m, n
• Russian: высоча́йший (ru) (vysočájšij), превосхо́дный (ru) (prevosxódnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: sȕperlatīv (sh) m
• Slovene: presežek m
• Spanish: superlativo (es)
• Thai: ชั้นเยี่ยม

form of adjective expressing "most"

• Arabic: دَرَجَة فَائِقَة‏‎ f (daraja fāʾiqa)
• Armenian: գերադրական (hy) (geradrakan)
• Breton: derez-uhelañ (br) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 最高級 (zh), 最高级 (zh) (zuìgāojí)

• Czech: superlativ (cs) m
• Danish: superlativ (da)
• Dutch: superlatief (nl) m
• Finnish: superlatiivi (fi), yliaste
• French: superlatif (fr) m
• German: Superlativ (de) m
• Greek: (degree) υπερθετικός (el) m (yperthetikós); υπερθετικό (el) n (yperthetikó)

  Ancient: ὑπερθετικός m (huperthetikós)

• Hungarian: felsőfok (hu)
• Italian: superlativo (it) m

• Korean: 최상급 (ko) (choi-sang-geup,最上級)
• Norman: supèrlatif m
• Norwegian: superlativ (no) m
• Novial: superlative
• Old English: oferstígendlic
• Persian: صفت برترین‏‎ (fa) (sefat-e bartarin)
• Polish: stopień najwyższy (pl) m inan
• Portuguese: superlativo (pt) m
• Russian: супе́рлятив (ru) m (supérljativ)
• Scottish Gaelic: feabhasach m
• Serbo-Croatian: sȕperlatīv (sh) m
• Slovene: presežnik m, superlativ m
• Spanish: superlativo (es) m
• Swedish: superlativ (sv) n

adjective used to praise

• Dutch: overtreffende trap (nl)
• Finnish: superlatiivi (fi)
• Italian: superlativo (it) m

• Norwegian: superlativ (no) n
• Serbo-Croatian: sȕperlatīv (sh) m

Adjective

superlative (not comparable)

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

Usage notes

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

Synonyms

• (exceptionally good): above and beyond, exceptional, extraordinary, superb

Translations

exceptionally good

• Catalan: superlatiu (ca)
• Finnish: erinomainen (fi), häikäisevä (fi)
• French: suprême (fr)
• German: höchst (de), hervorragend (de)
• Italian: superlativo (it) m
• Novial: superlativi

• Polish: doskonały (pl), znakomity (pl)
• Portuguese: supremo (pt), superlativo (pt)
• Romanian: suprem (ro), superlativ (ro)
• Russian: высоча́йший (ru) (vysočájšij), велича́йший (ru) (veličájšij)
• Spanish: supremo (es)

of or pertaining to a superlative

• Catalan: superlatiu (ca)
• Dutch: overtreffende trap (nl)
• Finnish: superlatiivinen
• French: superlatif (fr) m
• Greek: υπερθετικός (el) (yperthetikós)

• Italian: superlativo (it) m
• Romanian: superlativ (ro)
• Scottish Gaelic: feabhasach

See also

• absolute
• comparative
• elative

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French

Adjective

superlative

1. feminine singular of superlatif

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Italian

Adjective

superlative

1. feminine plural of superlativo

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Latin

Adjective

superlātīve

1. vocative masculine singular of superlātīvus