most

[ mohst ]
See synonyms for: mostmosts on Thesaurus.com

adjective,superlative of much or many, with more as comparative.
  1. in the greatest quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: to win the most votes.

  2. in the majority of instances: Most operations are successful.

  1. greatest, as in size or extent: the most talent.

noun
  1. the greatest quantity, amount, or degree; the utmost: The most I can hope for is a passing grade.

  2. the greatest number or the majority of a class specified: Most of his writing is rubbish.

  1. the greatest number: The most this room will seat is 150.

  2. the majority of persons: to be more sensitive than most.

  3. the most, Slang. the ultimate in something: He's the most. That movie was the most.

adverb,superlative of much, with more as comparative.
  1. in or to the greatest extent or degree (in this sense often used before adjectives and adverbs, and regularly before those of more than two syllables, to form superlative phrases having the same force and effect as the superlative degree formed by the termination -est): most rapid; most wisely.

  2. extremely; very: a most puzzling case.

  1. Informal. almost or nearly.

Idioms about most

  1. at the most, at the maximum.: Also at most.

  2. for the most part. part (def. 34).

  1. make the most of, to use to greatest advantage; utilize fully: to make the most of an opportunity.

Origin of most

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English most(e), Old English māst; replacing Middle English mest(e),Old English mǣst; cognate with German meist, Gothic maists; see more

synonym study For most

11. See almost.

usage note For most

11. The adverb most, a shortened form of almost, is far from being either a recent development or an Americanism. It goes back to the 16th century in England, where it is now principally a dialect form. In American English it occurs before such pronouns as all, anyone, anybody, everyone, and everybody; the adjectives all, any, and every; and adverbs like anywhere and everywhere: Most everyone around here is related to everyone else. You can find that plant most anywhere. This use of most is often objected to, but it is common in the informal speech of educated persons. It is less common in edited writing except in representations of speech.

Words that may be confused with most

Words Nearby most

Other definitions for -most (2 of 2)

-most

  1. a combining form of most occurring in a series of superlatives: foremost; utmost.

Origin of -most

2
Middle English -most; replacing Middle English, Old English -mest, double superlative suffix, equivalent to -ma superlative suffix (as in Old English forma first; compare Latin prīmus) + -est1; later identified with most

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use most in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for most (1 of 2)

most

/ (məʊst) /


determiner
    • a great majority of; nearly all: most people like eggs

    • (as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural): most of them don't know; most of it is finished

  1. the most

    • the superlative of many, much you have the most money; the most apples

    • (as pronoun): the most he can afford is two pounds

  1. at most or at the most at the maximum: that girl is four at the most

  2. for the most part generally

  3. make the most of to use to the best advantage: she makes the most of her accent

  4. than most than most others: the leaves are greener than most

  5. the most slang, mainly US wonderful: that chick's the most

adverb
  1. the most used to form the superlative of some adjectives and adverbs: the most beautiful daughter of all

  2. the superlative of much people welcome a drink most after work

  1. (intensifier): a most absurd story

  2. US and Canadian informal, or dialect almost: most every town in this state; John is the more intelligent of the two; he is the most intelligent of the students

Origin of most

1
Old English māst or mǣst, whence Middle English moste, mēst; compare Old Frisian maest, Old High German meist, Old Norse mestr

usage For most

More and most should be distinguished when used in comparisons. More applies to cases involving two persons, objects, etc, most to cases involving three or more

British Dictionary definitions for -most (2 of 2)

-most

suffix
  1. forming the superlative degree of some adjectives and adverbs: hindmost; uppermost

Origin of -most

2
Old English -mǣst, -mest, originally a superlative suffix, later mistakenly taken as derived from mǣst (adv) most

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with most

most

see at most; for the most part; make the most of.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.