Innermosts

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. The most central or interior part of something, often referring to the deepest layer or the most private thoughts
2. Relating to aspects that are furthest within, whether in a physical or metaphorical sense, capturing the essence of intimacy
3. Describing elements that are closest to the core or center, indicating personal feelings or hidden truths

Etymology: "Innermosts" is simply the plural of "innermost", so its story is really the story of that adjective. Old English had "innemest", meaning "innermost", built from the comparative-style base "inne" (within) and the superlative ending that gives "most" its sense of "furthest". Over the Middle English period the form shifted, partly under the influence of "inner" (from Old English "innere"), which produced the spellings "innermost", "innermest" and "innermast" that competed for a time before the modern form settled. The plural "innermosts" uses the adjective as a noun, for the deepest feelings or most private parts of a person or thing. The word's structure is transparent: "inner" plus "-most", so it literally means the most inward of all.

Synonyms: deepest, most internal, central, core

Antonyms: outermost, external, peripheral