superlative
1
5.0
- noun
- /səˈpɜr.lə.tɪv/
:
epítome
- Antarctica is a continent of superlatives.
Examples
-
We have stripped our superlatives of their moral, ethical, and aesthetic majesty, thanks to politics, advertising, and postmodernism.
Academic text (2000) -
Are you just lucky enough to have superlative memories, or are there some skills that you could share to help us all get more from our reading?
-
So war has this superlative status.
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These are giant, superlative extreme animals, and they are mammals.
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The completely is not a superlative, you know, it's actually fulkomenon, right?
-
Eighteen months after the affair got underway with the first Republican primary debate, the country is looking back Tuesday on a campaign of superlatives.
Blog text (18) -
If we lose our superlatives, having failed to reserve them for uniqueness, and if just about anything is now "rather unique," then what do "good" and "goodness" mean?
Academic text (2000) -
Her performance in the competition was a true superlative, showcasing her exceptional talent.
-
Many historians consider this artwork to be a superlative example of Renaissance creativity.
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The chef received a superlative review from the critics for his innovative dishes.
Synonyms
∞
2.1
The highest position in a job or field
368
2.1
The highest point something reaches, like a mountain or an achievement
160
2.3
The time when something is at its strongest or most successful
150
3.2
Very high quality or skill that makes one stand out
31
5.8
The highest point of success or achievement
12
4.9
The highest level of achievement in a career or field
7
6.7
A person who is best in a group or class
4
3.6
The greatest effort someone can make
3
8.0
The highest point of achievement or success
2
7.0
A very good quality that people or things can have
2
5.2
The best example of its kind
2
4.2
The highest point of someone's career or success
1
7.8
The highest point of development or success
1
8.1
The greatest possible amount or degree of something
1
1.0
The greatest effort a person can make
1
9.9
The best or most perfect example of something
A person or thing of very high quality
The final, most extreme level of something
A person or thing someone says is the very best in a playful way
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
An adjective that shows the highest degree of a quality when comparing three or more things
- Specialized
The form of a describing word that shows the most of a quality, like smartest or most beautiful
How Excellent
Surface Forms
Morphology
superlative = super (transparent) = super + lative
The meaning 'highest degree or quality attainable' follows directly from the intensifying prefix 'super-' combined with the adjectival/nominal form, so learners can infer the sense from the parts.
Etymology
Superlative comes from super- 'above' and a part meaning 'to carry', so a superlative is something held 'above' others and means the very highest level of quality.