Awesomest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

  1. The utmost level of admiration that inspires great excitement or wonder
  2. The peak state of being exceptional that generates profound appreciation or astonishment
  3. Expressing the highest degree of something inspiring extreme admiration or amazement

Etymology: "Awesomest" is simply the superlative of "awesome" formed with the ending "-est," the same suffix that gives English words like "biggest" and "fastest." The superlative ending traces back through Old English and Proto-Germanic to Proto-Indo-European roots, where it marked the highest degree of a quality. Because "awesome" is itself a compound-like formation built on "awe," the superlative simply stacks one more layer onto that existing word. The base word "awesome" once carried a much stronger sense of reverent dread and wonder, and the superlative inherits that older weight even when it is used casually. Speakers who call something the "awesomest" are therefore reaching for the most impressive degree of a word whose original meaning concerned something that inspired fear as much as admiration.

Synonyms: most awesome, greatest, finest

Antonyms: least awesome, worst