absolute superlative

noun

In Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan: the form of an adjective formed by adding the suffixes -issimo, -ísimo, -íssimo, -érrimo, -imo, or -íssim to the adjective (with any final vowel dropped) to express a superlative that cannot be exceeded, having the sense “as ... as possible”.

“Am citit o carte tare proastă. (I read a very bad book).”

Meanings

nounabsolute superlative (plural absolute superlatives)

plural absolute superlatives

  1. grammarIn Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan: the form of an adjective formed by adding the suffixes -issimo, -ísimo, -íssimo, -érrimo, -imo, or -íssim to the adjective (with any final vowel dropped) to express a superlative that cannot be exceeded, having the sense “as ... as possible”.
  2. grammarIn Greek: one of the degrees of comparison in an adjective that stresses an exceptional property without making a direct comparison, its closest equivalent in English being a most important letter, a very high mountain or absolutely pure water. It is formed by adding the suffix -τατος (declined) to the adjective's nominative, neuter singular.
  3. grammarIn Romanian: a form of an adjective with various adverbs preceding it: foarte / tare / extrem de / cât se poate de + adjective. The most frequent and standard adverb is foarte (“very”). The other adverbs or adverbial constructions are emotionally marked. The adverb tare is used in the colloquial style.

    Am citit o carte tare proastă. (I read a very bad book).

    3 more examples

    Am citit un articol foarte interesant. (I've read a very interesting article).

    Am văzut un film extrem de interesant. (I saw an extremely interesting movie).

    Părerea ei este cât se poate de importantă. (Her opinion is really important).

Translations

Catalan superlatiu absolut
  • superlatiu absolutabsolute superlative
Finnish absoluuttinen superlatiivi
  • absoluuttinen superlatiiviabsolute superlative
French superlatif absolu
  • superlatif absoluabsolute superlative
German Elativ, absoluter Superlativ
  • Elativabsolute superlative
  • absoluter Superlativabsolute superlative
Greek απόλυτο
  • απόλυτο (apólyto)absolute superlative
Norwegian Bokmål absolutt superlativ
  • absolutt superlativabsolute superlative
Portuguese superlativo absoluto
  • superlativo absolutoabsolute superlative
Romanian superlativ absolut
  • superlativ absolutabsolute superlative
Spanish superlativo absoluto
  • superlativo absolutoabsolute superlative
Cite this entry
APA

absolute superlative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolute%20superlative

MLA

“absolute superlative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolute%20superlative. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “absolute superlative,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/absolute%20superlative.

Source: absolute superlative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.