10 results for: superlative

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

su·per·la·tive

Audio Help [suh-pur-luh-tiv, soo-] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	of the highest kind, quality, or order; surpassing all else or others; supreme; extreme: superlative wisdom.

2.	Grammar. of, pertaining to, or noting the highest degree of the comparison of adjectives and adverbs, as smallest, best, and most carefully, the superlative forms of small, good, and carefully. Compare comparative (def. 4), positive (def. 20).

3.	being more than is proper or normal; exaggerated in language or style.

–noun

4.	a superlative person or thing.

5.	the utmost degree; acme.

Grammar.

a.	the superlative degree.

b.	a form in the superlative.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < LL superlātīvus, equiv. to L superlāt(us) hyperbolical (super- super- + -lātus, suppletive ptp. of ferre to bear¹) + -īvus -ive; r. ME superlatif < OF < LL, as above

]

—Related forms

su·per·la·tive·ly, adverb

su·per·la·tive·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. surpassing, excellent, magnificent, preeminent.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
superlative

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

su·per·la·tive Audio Help (sŏŏ-pûr'lə-tĭv) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Of the highest order, quality, or degree; surpassing or superior to all others.
Excessive or exaggerated.
Grammar Of, relating to, or being the extreme degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb, as in best or brightest.

Something of the highest possible excellence.
The highest degree; the acme.
Grammar
1. The superlative degree.
2. An adjective or adverb expressing the superlative degree, as in brightest, the superlative of the adjective bright, or most brightly, the superlative of the adverb brightly.

[Middle English superlatif, from Old French, from Late Latin superlātīvus, from Latin superlātus, past participle of superferre, to carry over a person or thing, exaggerate : super-, super- + lātus, past participle of ferre, to carry; see telə- in Indo-European roots.]

su·per'la·tive·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
superlative (adj.)

c.1386, from O.Fr. superlatif (13c.), from L.L. superlativus "exaggerated, superlative," from L. superlatus "exaggerated" (used as pp. of superferre "carry over or beyond"), from super "beyond" (see super-) + lat- "carry," from *tlat-, pp. stem of tollere "to take away" (see extol). The noun is attested from 1530, originally in the grammatical sense.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

superlative
adjective
1.	highest in quality [syn: greatest]
noun
1.	an exaggerated expression (usually of praise); "the critics lavished superlatives on it"
2.	the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development; "his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty"; "the artist's gifts are at their acme"; "at the height of her career"; "the peak of perfection"; "summer was at its peak"; "...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame"; "the summit of his ambition"; "so many highest superlatives achieved by man"; "at the top of his profession"
3.	the superlative form of an adjective or adverb; "'fastest' is the superlative of the adjective 'fast'"; "'least famous' is the superlative degree of the adjective 'famous'"; "'most surely' is the superlative of the adverb 'surely'"

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary (Beta Version) - Cite This Source - Share This
superlative [suˈpəːlətiv] adjective

(of an adjective or adverb) of the highest degree of comparison
Example: `Biggest' is a superlative adjective.

Arabic:	أفْعَل التَّفْضيل
Chinese (Simplified):	（比较级的）最高级的
Chinese (Traditional):	(比較級的)最高級的
Czech:	superlativní
Danish:	superlativ
Dutch:	in de superlatief
Estonian:	ülivõrdeline
Finnish:	superlatiivi-
French:	superlatif
German:	Superlativ-…
Greek:	υπερθετικός, του υπερθετικού βαθμού
Hungarian:	felsőfokú
Icelandic:	hástigs-
Indonesian:	superlatif
Italian:	superlativo

Japanese:	最上級の
Korean:	최상급의
Latvian:	vispārāks
Lithuanian:	aukščiausias
Norwegian:	superlativ
Polish:	w stopniu najwyższym
Portuguese (Brazil):	superlativo
Portuguese (Portugal):	superlativo
Romanian:	superlativ
Russian:	превосходный
Slovak:	superlatívny
Slovenian:	presežniški
Spanish:	superlativo
Swedish:	superlativ
Turkish:	üstünlük

superlative [suˈpəːlətiv] noun

(an adjective or adverb of) the superlative degree
Example: `Best' and `worst' are the superlatives of `good' and `bad'; She is the prettiest girl in the room; We'll go by different roads to see who will arrive (the) soonest / most quickly.

Arabic:	دَرجَة التَّفْضيل بين الصِّفات
Chinese (Simplified):	最高级
Chinese (Traditional):	最高級
Czech:	superlativ
Danish:	superlativ; højeste grad
Dutch:	de overtreffende trap
Estonian:	ülivõrre
Finnish:	superlatiivi
French:	superlatif
German:	der Superlativ
Greek:	υπερθετικός βαθμός επιθέτου (γραμμ.)
Hungarian:	felsőfok
Icelandic:	efsta stig, hástig
Indonesian:	superlatif
Italian:	superlativo

Japanese:	最上級
Korean:	최상급
Latvian:	vispārākā pakāpe
Lithuanian:	aukščiausias laipsnis
Norwegian:	superlativ, høyeste grad
Polish:	stopień najwyższy
Portuguese (Brazil):	superlativo
Portuguese (Portugal):	superlativo
Romanian:	superlativ
Russian:	превосходная степень
Slovak:	superlatív
Slovenian:	presežnik
Spanish:	superlativo
Swedish:	superlativ
Turkish:	üstünlük derecesi

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
superlative

The form of an adjective indicating the greatest degree of the quality that the adjective describes. Best is the superlative form of good; fastest is the superlative form of fast; most charming is the superlative form of charming. The usual superlative takes the ending -est. (Compare comparative.)

[Chapter:] Conventions of Written English

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Superlative

Su`per*la"tion\, n. [L. superlatio. See Superlative.] Exaltation of anything beyond truth or propriety. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Superlative

Su`per*la"tive\, a. [L. superlativus, fr. superlatus excessive, used as p. p. of superiorferre, but from a different root: cf. F. superlatif. See Elate, Tolerate.]

1. Lifted up to the highest degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; supreme; as, superlative wisdom or prudence; a woman of superlative beauty; the superlative glory of the divine character.

2. (Gram.) Expressing the highest or lowest degree of the quality, manner, etc., denoted by an adjective or an adverb. The superlative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -est, most, or least; as, highest, most pleasant, least bright. -- Su`per*la"tive*ly, adv. -- Su`per*la"tive*ness, n.

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