-issimus
-issimus lat. höchste Steigeung vgl. leicht + -este 'leichteste'
Via Proto-Italic *-isemos, from Proto-Indo-European *-is- (zero-grade of *-yōs (“intensive/comparative suffix”)) + *-tm̥mós (“absolute superlative suffix”). The latter is seen whole in -timus (e.g. intimus – extimus, citimus – ultimus, assimilated pessimus – optimus). The original form seems, however, to be *-m̥mós (cf. super – summus, Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌿𐌼𐌰 (innuma, “innermost”)), with acquired t from the paradigm -ter- – -timus- (e.g. exter – extimus), and is cognate with Proto-Germanic *-umô (source, via metanalysis, of English -most). By various sound changes (e.g. *-isemos > *-ismos > -īmus) superlative grades in -īmus, -ēmus etc. (e.g. extrēmus, suprēmus) are also found.
The expected alteration of *-(o)ism̥mos to *-erimus is nowhere to be found. The -ss- may be an example of expressive lengthening of the *-s- or influence from specific forms as pessimus and endings in -errimus and -illimus.
Suffix
-issimus (feminine -issima, neuter -issimum); first/second-declension suffix
- Added to an adjective noun to form its superlative grade:
- altus (“high”) + -issimus → altissimus (“highest”)
- fortis (“strong”) + -issimus → fortissimus (“strongest”)
Usage notes
- Stems in -ro- and -lo- instead take the suffix -errimus and -illimus respectively (e.g. *polkros (pulcher) > *polkrisemos > *polkr̥semos > *polkersimos > pulcherrimus).
- Some adjective nouns have irregular superlative grades from other roots or compositions (e.g. bonus – optimus, malus – pessimus, magnus – maximus).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈis.si.mus/, [ˈɪs̠ːɪmʊs̠]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈis.si.mus/, [ˈisːimus]
Declension
First/second-declension adjective.
| Number | Singular | Plural | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case / Gender | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| Nominative | -issimus | -issima | -issimum | -issimī | -issimae | -issima | |
| Genitive | -issimī | -issimae | -issimī | -issimōrum | -issimārum | -issimōrum | |
| Dative | -issimō | -issimō | -issimīs | ||||
| Accusative | -issimum | -issimam | -issimum | -issimōs | -issimās | -issima | |
| Ablative | -issimō | -issimā | -issimō | -issimīs | |||
| Vocative | -issime | -issima | -issimum | -issimī | -issimae | -issima | |