Tallest

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈtɔː.lɪst/

Definitions

1. Surpassing all other individuals or objects in height within a particular set
2. Representing the utmost height when compared to all others within a specific context
3. Exceeding every other in vertical measurement among a defined group

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "tallest" is that its root meant nearly the opposite of height. The adjective "tall" comes from Middle English, where it meant "seemly, becoming, handsome, good-looking, excellent, valiant," and its Old English ancestor meant "swift" or "having mastery of" something. Its distant source is a Proto-Germanic word for "submissive, pliable, obedient," so the sense was originally about being quick and capable rather than being high. The shift to "high of stature" came later, as the older sense of "good, handsome, excellent" faded. The Oxford English Dictionary observes that this development is paralleled by other words of praise such as "handsome," "clever," and "proper," which likewise drifted in meaning. German "klein," meaning "small," offers a striking contrast: it is cognate with English "clean," which once meant something close to "fine" in a similar way. A tempting theory holds that the height sense came from Welsh "tal." The Oxford English Dictionary rejects this: the Welsh word appears only in the sixteenth century as a borrowing from English, and its apparent link is a confusion with a genuine Welsh word meaning "end" or "brow."

Synonyms: highest, loftiest, greatest, tall, elevated

Antonyms: shortest, lowest, smallest, diminutive, petite