optimus

• optumus

Superlative form of bonus, by suppletion, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi (“at, near; on”), whence also ob. Less likely from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ep- (“to work, toil; ability, force”), whence also ops and opus.

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈop.ti.mus/, [ˈɔp.tɪ.mʊs]

• Audio (Classical)

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optimus (feminine optima, neuter optimum); first/second declension

1. best; very good

   Hic mundus perfectissimus est etiam mundorum possibilium omnium optimus

   • This most perfect world is even the best of all possible worlds (Immanuel Kant, echoing Leibniz).

First/second declension.

• pessimus

• optimas
• optimē

• bonus
• melior
• optō
• optiō

• Catalan: òptim
• Dutch: optimaal
• English: optimal, optimism, optimist, optimistic, optimum
• French: optime
• Italian: ottimo
• Portuguese: ótimo
• Romanian: optim
• Spanish: óptimo

• bonus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• optimus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to wish prosperity to an undertaking: aliquid optimis ominibus prosequi (vid. sect. VI. 11., note Prosequi...)
    
  • an ideal: species optima or eximia, specimen, also simply species, forma
    
  • Plato's ideal republic: civitas optima, perfecta Platonis
    
  • the sciences; the fine arts: optima studia, bonae, optimae, liberales, ingenuae artes, disciplinae
    
  • to be interested in, have a taste for culture: optimarum artium studio incensum esse
    
  • to have received a liberal education: optimis studiis or artibus, optimarum artium studiis eruditum esse
    
  • at the time of a most satisfactory government: optima re publica
    
  • the aristocracy (as a party in politics): boni cives, optimi, optimates, also simply boni (opp. improbi); illi, qui optimatium causam agunt
    
  • with full right: optimo iure
    
  • to have a good case: causam optimam habere (Lig. 4. 10)
    
  • legitimately; with the fullest right: optimo iure (cf. summo iure, sect. XV. 1).
    
  • (ambiguous) to deserve well at some one's hands; to do a service to..: bene, praeclare (melius, optime) mereri de aliquo
    
  • (ambiguous) my dear father: pater optime or carissime, mi pater (vid. sect. XII. 10)
    
  • (ambiguous) to hope well of a person: bene, optime (meliora) sperare de aliquo (Nep. Milt. 1. 1)
    
  • (ambiguous) to have the good of the state at heart: bene, optime sentire de re publica
    
• De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “ob”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, page 421