Meanings
adjectiveoptimal (not comparable)
- not comparableThe best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction.
Finding the optimal balance between features and price is a common problem.
1 more example
Herewith, a brief primer in speaking basic North Carolinaese, meant to be read aloud for optimal effect.
2014 August 21, Susan Stafford Kelly, “What Say You”, in Our State
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveThe best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁ep-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁éps
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁épi
- Latinoptimus
- Englishoptimal
From Latin optimus (“best”) + English -al.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian оптимален
- оптимален (optimalen)the best
Catalan òptim
- òptimthe best
Chinese Mandarin 最佳的
- 最佳的 (zuì jiā de)the best
Czech optimální
- optimálníthe best
Finnish optimaalinen
- optimaalinenthe best
French optimal
- optimalthe best
German optimal
- optimalthe best
Greek άριστος, βέλτιστος
- άριστος (áristos)the best
- βέλτιστος (véltistos)the best
Hebrew אופטימלי
- אופטימלי (optimáli)the best
Hungarian optimális, legjobb
- optimálisthe best
- legjobbthe best
- legkedvezőbbthe best
- legelőnyösebbthe best
Japanese 最適な
- 最適な (saiteki na)the best
Polish optymalny
- optymalnythe best
Portuguese ótimo, óptimo
- ótimothe best
- óptimothe best
Russian оптима́льный, лу́чший
- оптима́льный (optimálʹnyj)the best
- лу́чший (lúčšij)the best
- наилу́чший (nailúčšij)the best
Spanish óptimo, en fa
- óptimothe best
- en fathe best
Swedish optimal
- optimalthe best
Ukrainian оптима́льний
- оптима́льний (optymálʹnyj)the best
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
optimal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimal
MLA
“optimal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimal. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “optimal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimal.
Source: optimal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.