-issimus

Latin Alternative forms la -issumus Etymology la :inh itc-pro:*-isəmos la itc-pro *-isəmos, from la ine-pro *-is-(t)m̥mós, from ine-pro *-yōs<pos:comparative suffix><ng:zero-grade itc-pro *-is> *-(t)m̥mos<pos:absolute superlative suffix> 1. The latter is seen whole in la -timus e.g. la intimus, la extimus, la citimus, la ultimus, assimilated la pessimus, la optimus. The original form seems, however, to be ine-pro *-m̥mós see la super, la summus, which acquired an initial /t/ from the paradigm la -ter ~ la -timus e.g. la exter ~ la extimus and is cognate with gem-pro *-umô source, via metanalysis, of English en -most. By various sound changes (e.g. itc-pro *-isəmos > itc-pro *-ismos > la *-īmus) superlative grades in la -īmus, la -ēmus etc. (e.g. la extrēmus, la suprēmus) are also found. The expected development of ine-pro *-(o)ism̥mos > la *-erimus is nowhere to be found. The geminate /s/ may be the result of expressive lengthening or influence from specific forms similar to la pessimus and endings in la -errimus and la -illimus. la Pronunciation Suffix -issimus Added to an adjective noun to form its superlative grade: la altus altissimus high highest la fortis fortissimus strong strongest Usage notes Stems in -ro- and -lo- instead take the suffix la -errimus and la -illimus respectively (e.g. *polkros (la pulcher) > *polkrisemos > *polkr̥semos > *polkersimos > la pulcherrimus). Some adjective nouns have irregular superlative grades from other roots or compositions (e.g. la bonus – la optimus, la malus – la pessimus, la magnus – la maximus). Declension -issimus Coordinate terms la -ior Descendants fro -isme 1 ca -íssim 1 frp -issimo 1 fr -issime 1 gl -ísimo it -issimo 1 pt -íssimo scn -ìssimu 1 es -ísimo References la Ferdinand Schultz de:Lateiniſche Sprachlehre zunächſt für Gymnasien bearbeitet Latin grammar adapted primarily for grammar schools 6th Paderborn 1865 76–77 §67 de Die Superlativendung issimus de ſchrieb man in der Vorauguſteiſchen Zeit auch vielfach issumus de (ebenſo errumus, illumus; de vrgl. §. 4. Anm. 2.), und ſo ſchreiben auch heut zu Tage viele Kritiker in den Ausgaben namentlich der Komiker, des Salluſt, und auch wohl des Cicero. The superlative ending issimus is also written frequently in the pre-Augustan era as issumus (likewise errumus, illumus; cf. §4 annotation 2.), and so too do many critics write today particularly in the editions of the comics, of Sallust, and indeed of Cicero.