Optimum

How to spell optimum

7 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce optimum

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does optimum mean?

1. nounThe most favourable point, amount, or condition for a particular purpose.
2. adjectiveMost favourable or best, especially under specified conditions.

Optimum in a sentence

• noun

  The engineers tested the engine to find its optimum for fuel efficiency.

• adjective

  The wine is stored at the optimum temperature to preserve its flavour.

• noun

  Keeping the greenhouse at the optimum for growth meant watching the temperature closely.

• adjective

  For optimum results, follow the instructions in the exact order given.

Where does optimum come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word comes straight from Latin optimum, the neuter form of optimus, meaning 'best'. Optimus was the superlative of bonus, the ordinary Latin word for 'good', so optimum literally named the very best of something. English adopted it in the early 1600s, at first as a scholarly noun for the most favourable condition or degree, and later as an adjective meaning 'most favourable'. The same Latin root for 'best' survives in the name Optimus and in the word 'optimist', a person who expects the best outcome. The spelling keeps the Latin ending intact, which is why it finishes in -um rather than the more English-looking -om, and the unstressed middle vowel is the part writers most often second-guess.

How the word is built

• optim- (from Latin optimus: best)
• -um (Latin neuter noun ending)