Best
/bɛst/noun
Of the highest quality, most excellent, or most favorable.
Did you know?Best goes back to a Proto-Germanic superlative built from the same ancient root as English good, so the word itself is literally a linguistic “highest degree” of goodness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghedh-
“to unite, fit together, be suitable”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*batistaz
“best, the most good”
Old English
English
betst
“best, most excellent”
Middle English
English
best
“best, most excellent”
Modern English
English
best
“of the highest quality or degree”