Etymology

optimal

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Today it means: The best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction. Full definition →

Latin optimus ← Proto-Indo-European *h₁épi
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
  4. Latinoptimus
  5. English todayoptimal

From Latin optimus (“best”) + English -al.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.