optimum

See also: Optimum

English

Etymology

From New Latin, neuter of Latin optimus (“best, very good”), from the root in ops (“work”) or omnis (“all”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɑptɪməm/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒptɪməm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

optimum (plural optima or optimums)

(Can we add an example for this sense?)

1. The best or most favorable condition, or the greatest amount or degree possible under specific sets of comparable circumstances.
2. (geology, paleontology, climatology) Any long period of time marked by a persistently warm climate; a climatic optimum.

Synonyms

• (the best under specific circumstances): pessimum

Derived terms

• climatic optimum
• global optimum
• local optimum
• suboptimum

Related terms

• optimal
• optimific
• optimise, optimize
• optimism
• optimist
• optimistic

Translations

the best or most favorable condition

Bulgarian: оптимум m (optimum) French: optimum (fr) m Galician: óptimo (gl) m German: Optimum (de) n Icelandic: kjörgildi n, besta gildi n, kjörstaða f Italian: ottimo (it) m Maori: tino arotau Polish: optimum (pl) n Spanish: óptimum m (literary, Spain) Swedish: optimum (sv) n

Adjective

optimum (not comparable)

1. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

2. The best or most advantageous; surpassing all others.

   Synonyms: best, ideal, optimal

   optimum conditions for climbing

Translations

best or most advantageous

Bulgarian: оптимален (bg) (optimalen) French: optimal (fr) m Galician: óptimo (gl) m Polish: optymalny (pl), najkorzystniejszy m Portuguese: ótimo (pt) m Spanish: óptimo (es) Swedish: optimal (sv)

Further reading

• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “optimum”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2025), “optimum”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
• “optimum”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈoptɪmum]

Noun

optimum n

1. optimum

Declension

Declension of optimum (hard neuter foreign)

	singular	plural
nominative	optimum	optima
genitive	optima	optim
dative	optimu	optimům
accusative	optimum	optima
vocative	optimum	optima
locative	optimu	optimech
instrumental	optimem	optimy

Related terms

• optimalita
• optimální
• optimálnost
• optimismus
• optimista
• optimistický

Further reading

• “optimum”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “optimum”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “optimum”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

French

Noun

optimum m (plural optimums)

1. optimum

Further reading

• “optimum”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Indonesian

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:

optimum

Wikipedia ^id

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch optimum, from Latin optimus (“best, very good”), from the root or in ops (“work”), omnis (“all”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /opˈtimum/ [op̚ˈt̪i.mʊm]
• Rhymes: -imum
• Syllabification: op‧ti‧mum

Adjective

optimum (comparative lebih optimum, superlative paling optimum)

1. optimum, optimal

   Synonym: optimal

Noun

optimum (plural optimum-optimum)

1. (biology) optimum: the best or most favorable condition, or the greatest amount or degree possible under specific sets of comparable circumstances

Derived terms

• dioptimumkan
• mengoptimumkan
• pengoptimuman

Related terms

• optimal
• optimis
• optimisme

Further reading

• “optimum”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Latin

Adjective

optimum

1. inflection of optimus:
   1. accusative masculine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular

Polish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin optimum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔpˈti.mum/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -imum
• Syllabification: op‧ti‧mum

Noun

optimum n

1. optimum (the best or most favorable condition)

Declension

Declension of optimum

	singular	plural
nominative	optimum	optima
genitive	optimum	optimów
dative	optimum	optimom
accusative	optimum	optima
instrumental	optimum	optimami
locative	optimum	optimach
vocative	optimum	optima

Related terms

adjectives

• optymalny
• optymistyczny

adverb

• optymalnie

nouns

• optymalizacja
• optymalność
• optymista
• optymizm

Further reading

• optimum in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• optimum in Polish dictionaries at PWN