Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “optimal” come from?

Optimal derives from Latin optimus (best), from Latin bonus (good), from Latin duonus (good), from Proto-Indo-European h₃ep- and dew- (to suit or divide).

optimal (English): The best, most favourable or desirable,...

Definitions

  1. The best, most favourable or desirable,...

Ancestry of “optimal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinoptimumaccusative masculine singular of optimus;...
2Latinoptimusbest; very good
3LatinOpsearth goddess, fertility deity
4Latinoscenany bird by whose song cries augurs divined...
5Latinopscen—
6Latinob-towards; against
7Latinobolusobolus
8Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
9Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
10Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
11Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
12Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “optimal”

  • optimally
  • suboptimal
  • optimality
  • nonoptimal
  • suboptimally
  • suboptimality
  • optimalism
  • nonoptimality
  • superoptimal
  • optimalise
  • superoptimally
  • אופטימלי
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →