Most: meaning, definitions and examples

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most

 

[mษ™สŠst ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Adjective

superlative form

greatest in amount, extent, or degree

Synonyms

best, foremost, greatest, top.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
most

Used to indicate the majority or the highest degree in a non-comparative manner.

  • Most people like pizza
  • It's the most interesting book I've read
greatest

Used to describe something that is the most impressive or significant, often with an emotional or grand connotation.

  • He is the greatest artist of our time
  • Their support made the greatest difference
best

Used to indicate the highest quality or level among options. It often carries the connotation of excellence.

  • She is the best player on the team
  • This is the best restaurant in town
foremost

Used to emphasize the leading position in importance or rank, often used in formal or academic contexts.

  • He is one of the foremost experts in the field
  • Safety is our foremost priority
top

Used to describe something that is at the highest position or rank, often in a competitive or comparative manner.

  • She graduated at the top of her class
  • This is one of the top movies of the year

Examples of usage

  • He is the most talented musician in the band.
  • This is the most delicious cake I've ever tasted.
Context #2 | Adverb

superlative form

to the greatest extent; in the highest degree

Synonyms

exceedingly, extremely, highly, very.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
most

Used to indicate the majority of something or the highest degree in a non-comparative context.

  • She is the most talented in the class.
  • He enjoys reading most of the time.
extremely

Used to emphasize a very high degree; more intense and slightly more formal than 'very'.

  • The weather is extremely hot today.
  • He is an extremely dedicated worker.
highly

Frequently used to describe opinions, likelihood, or the degree of some qualities. Often found in formal contexts or reviews.

  • The book is highly recommended.
  • She is highly unlikely to change her mind.
very

Used in everyday language to emphasize degree; less formal than 'extremely'.

  • I am very happy today.
  • This cake is very delicious.
exceedingly

Used to emphasize a very high degree; often formal or literary.

  • The task was exceedingly difficult.
  • She is exceedingly talented.

Examples of usage

  • She sings the most beautifully of all the contestants.
  • He worked the most diligently on the project.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word 'most' comes from the Old English term 'mรฆst', which means 'greatest in amount or degree'.
  • Related to the German 'meist', 'most' has Germanic roots, sharing a common ancestry with many European languages.

Grammar

  • In English grammar, 'most' can function as an adjective (most delicious) or an adverb (he runs most quickly).
  • It is often used to form superlatives, indicating the extreme degree of a quality among three or more items.

Mathematics

  • In statistics, 'most' often refers to the mode, which is the value that appears most frequently in a data set.
  • In set theory, the concept of 'most' can relate to cardinality, referring to the size of a set compared to others.

Cultural Usage

  • 'Most' appears in numerous idioms and phrases, such as 'most valuable player' (MVP) in sports and 'most effective' in marketing.
  • In literature, the word is often used to emphasize importance, as seen in classic writings by Shakespeare and other renowned authors.

Philosophy

  • The concept of 'most' raises questions in philosophy about relativity, particularly in discussions of value and perspectives.
  • Debates around 'most' can also touch on moral philosophy; what is 'most' right can vary greatly from person to person.

Translations

Translations of the word "most" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น mais

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเคฌเคธเฅ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช meiste

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ paling

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝะฐะนะฑั–ะปัŒัˆะต

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ najwiฤ™cej

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆœ€ใ‚‚ (motto)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท le plus

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ mรกs

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท en รงok

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ฐ€์žฅ (gajang)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ุนุธู… (a'zam)

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ nejvรญce

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ najviac

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆœ€ (zuรฌ)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ najveฤ

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ mesti

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะตาฃ ะบำฉะฟ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒงแƒ•แƒ”แƒšแƒแƒ–แƒ” แƒ›แƒ”แƒขแƒ˜ (qhvelaze meti)

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ษ™n รงox

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ mรกs

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #54, this word is extremely common in English. It's a crucial part of basic vocabulary that's used constantly in both spoken and written communication, making it essential for even basic conversations.