Adjacent Words

Superlative definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SUPER'LATIVE, a. [L. superlativus; super and latio, latus, fero.]
1. Highest in degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; as a man of superlative wisdom or prudence, of superlative worth; a woman of superlative beauty.
2. Supreme; as the superlative glory of the divine character.
3. In grammar, expressing the highest or utmost degree; as the superlative degree of comparison.
SUPER'LATIVE, n. In grammar,the superlative degree of adjectives, which is formed by the termination est, as meanest, highest, bravest; or by the use of most, as most high, most brave; or by least, as least amiable.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: highest in quality [syn: greatest, sterling, superlative] n
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" [syn: acme, height, elevation, peak, pinnacle, summit, superlative, meridian, tiptop, top]
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'" [syn: superlative, superlative degree]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English superlatif, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin superlativus, from Latin superlatus (past participle of superferre to carry over, raise high), from super- + latus, past participle of ferre to carry — more at tolerate, bear Date: 14th century 1. of, relating to, or constituting the degree of grammatical comparison that denotes an extreme or unsurpassed level or extent 2. a. surpassing all others ; supreme b. of very high quality ; excellent <superlative work> 3. excessive, exaggerated • superlatively adverb • superlativeness noun II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a. the superlative degree of comparison in a language b. a superlative form of an adjective or adverb 2. the superlative or utmost degree of something ; acme 3. a superlative person or thing 4. an admiring sometimes exaggerated expression especially of praise

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. & n. --adj. 1 of the highest quality or degree (superlative wisdom). 2 Gram. (of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g. bravest, most fiercely) (cf. POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE). --n. 1 Gram. a the superlative expression or form of an adjective or adverb. b a word in the superlative. 2 something embodying excellence; the highest form of a thing. Derivatives: superlatively adv. superlativeness n. Etymology: ME f. OF superlatif -ive f. LL superlativus f. L superlatus (as SUPER-, latus past part. of ferre take)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Superlative Su`per*la"tive, n. 1. That which is highest or most eminent; the utmost degree. 2. (Gram.) (a) The superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs; also, a form or word by which the superlative degree is expressed; as, strongest, wisest, most stormy, least windy, are all superlatives.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(superlatives) 1. If you describe something as superlative, you mean that it is extremely good. Some superlative wines are made in this region... The Regent hotel has a superlative view of Hong Kong island. ADJ 2. If someone uses superlatives to describe something, they use adjectives and expressions which indicate that it is extremely good. ...a spectacle which has critics world-wide reaching for superlatives. N-COUNT: usu pl 3. In grammar, the superlative form of an adjective or adverb is the form that indicates that something has more of a quality than anything else in a group. For example, 'biggest' is the superlative form of 'big'. Compare comparative. ADJ: ADJ n • Superlative is also a noun. ...his tendency towards superlatives and exaggeration. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. Supreme, most eminent, greatest, most excellent, surpassing, transcendent, consummate, pre-eminent, peerless, incomparable.

Moby 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