-íssimo

-issimo Portuguese Etymology pt :lbor la:-issimus :influence it:-issimo<id:superlative> pt la -issimus. The borrowing occurred during the Renaissance influence from pt it -issimo.2009, Evanildo Bechara, Moderna Gramática Portuguesa, 37th edition, Editora Nova Fronteira, Editora Lucerna, page 154. Pronunciation Suffix forms the absolute superlative pt caro expensive caríssimo extremely expensive pt feio ugly feiíssimo extremely ugly Usage notes Though both are called superlatives, Portuguese words suffixed with pt -íssimo are not equivalent to English words suffixed with en -est or preceded by en most. Instead, they are equivalent to using the adverbs en very or en extremely to qualify the adjective. false true true Adjectives ending in the semivowel i followed by a vowel lose the semivowel in nonstandard usage: pt feio ugly feíssimo proscribed pt feio ugly feiíssimo prescriptive Some words may loan their superlative from Latin in addition to forming one with this suffix: pt paupérrimo (from la pauperrimus) coexists with pt pobríssimo as superlatives of pt pobre Derived terms pt References Further reading