most

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) enPR: mōst, IPA(key): /ˈməʊst/ (General American) enPR: mōst, IPA(key): /ˈmoʊst/ (Canada) IPA(key): [ˈmoːst] Rhymes: -əʊst === Etymology 1 === From Middle English most, moste, from Old English mǣst, māst, from Proto-Germanic *maistaz, *maist. Cognate with Scots mast, maist (“most”), Saterland Frisian maast (“most”), West Frisian meast (“most”), Dutch meest (“most”), German meist (“most”), Danish and Swedish mest (“most”), Icelandic mestur (“most”). ==== Alternative forms ==== moste (obsolete) ==== Determiner ==== most superlative degree of much. superlative degree of many: the comparatively largest number of (construed with the definite article) superlative degree of many: the majority of; more than half of (construed without the definite article) ===== Synonyms ===== (superlative of much): more than half of (in meaning, not grammar), almost all (superlative of many): the majority of (in meaning, not grammar) ===== Translations ===== ==== Adverb ==== most (not comparable) Forms the superlative of many adjectives. Antonym: least (proscribed) With a superlative adjective ending in -est. To a great extent or degree; highly; very. superlative degree of much ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== more ===== Translations ===== ==== Adjective ==== most (not comparable) (slang, dated) The greatest; the best. ==== Pronoun ==== most The greater part of a group, especially a group of people. ===== Synonyms ===== (greater part): the majority ==== Noun ==== most (usually uncountable, plural mosts) (uncountable) The greatest amount. (countable, uncountable) The greater part. (countable) A record-setting amount. ===== Usage notes ===== In the sense of record, used when the positive denotation of best does not apply. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Clipping of almost. ==== Adverb ==== most (not comparable) (informal, chiefly US) Clipping of almost. ===== Usage notes ===== This use of the word must precede a noun phrase and is restricted to positive polarity. One would not say most nobody understands this or I most fell down climbing up the stairs. ===== Translations ===== === See also === Thesaurus:quantifier === Further reading === “most”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. === Anagrams === smot, TMOs, MTSO, mots, MOTs, SOTM, toms, Toms == Catalan == === Etymology === Inherited from Latin mustum. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Northern) [ˈmust] IPA(key): (Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈmost] === Noun === most m (plural mosts or mostos) must (fruit juice that will ferment or has fermented) ==== Derived terms ==== remost === Further reading === “most”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007 “most”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 “most” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua. Alcover, Antoni Maria; Moll, Francesc de Borja (1963), “most”, in Diccionari català-valencià-balear (in Catalan) == Czech == === Etymology === Inherited from Old Czech most, from Proto-Slavic *mostъ (“bridge”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈmost] === Noun === most m inan (diminutive můstek or mostek or mostík) bridge ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== See also ==== lávka === Further reading === “most”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957 “most”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989 “most”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026 == Dutch == === Etymology === From Latin mustum (“fresh grape-juice, unfermented wine, must”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /mɔst/ Rhymes: -ɔst Homophone: Most Hyphenation: most === Noun === most m (uncountable, no diminutive) must (unfermented or partially fermented mashed grapes or rarely other fruits, an early stage in the production of wine) ==== Descendants ==== > Afrikaans: mos (inherited) === Further reading === Matthias de Vries; Lambert Allard te Winkel (1864), “most”, in Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, published 2001 “most” in Woordenlijst Nederlandse Taal – Officiële Spelling, Nederlandse Taalunie. [the official spelling word list for the Dutch language] == Friulian == === Etymology === From Latin mustum. === Noun === most m (plural mosts) must (unfermented grape juice or wine) == Hungarian == === Alternative forms === mostan (folksy) === Etymology === From the earlier ma (“now”), which in modern Hungarian means “today” + -st. For the suffix, compare valamelyest. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈmoʃt] Rhymes: -oʃt === Adverb === most now ==== Declension ==== It can be suffixed from its (otherwise folksy) variant mostan: mostantól (“from now on”), mostanra (“by now”), mostanig (“until now”), or the latter more commonly formed with -a-, mostanáig (“until now”): ==== Derived terms ==== === References === === Further reading === most in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN. == Lower Sorbian == === Noun === most m inan (diminutive mosćik) superseded spelling of móst ==== Declension ==== == Middle English == === Etymology 1 === ==== Noun ==== most alternative form of must === Etymology 2 === ==== Verb ==== most second-person singular present indicative of moten (“to have to”) == Norwegian Bokmål == === Etymology === From Middle Low German most, must, from Latin mustum. === Noun === most m (definite singular mosten, indefinite plural moster, definite plural mostene) must, (unfermented) fruit juice, particularly grape juice === References === “most” in The Bokmål Dictionary. “most” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB). == Norwegian Nynorsk == === Etymology === From Middle Low German most, must, from Latin mustum. === Noun === most m (definite singular mosten, indefinite plural mostar, definite plural mostane) must, (unfermented) fruit juice, particularly grape juice === References === “most” in The Nynorsk Dictionary. == Old Czech == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mostъ. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (13th CE) /ˈmost/ IPA(key): (15th CE) /ˈmost/ === Noun === most m inan bridge ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== Czech: most === Further reading === Jan Gebauer (1903–1916), “most”, in Slovník staročeský (in Czech), Prague: Česká grafická společnost "unie", Česká akademie císaře Františka Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění == Old English == === Verb === mōst second-person singular present indicative of mōtan == Old High German == === Etymology === From Proto-West Germanic *must. === Noun === most m must ==== Descendants ==== German: Most == Polish == === Etymology === Inherited from Old Polish most, from Proto-Slavic *mȍstъ (“bridge”). === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -ɔst Syllabification: most Homophone: Most === Noun === most m inan (diminutive mostek or mościk, augmentative mościsko, related adjective mostowy) bridge (building over a river or valley) ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === References === === Further reading === Modern Standard Polish: “most”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎[4] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN “most”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[5] (in Polish) Zygmunt Saloni, et al., editors (2020), “most”, in Słownik gramatyczny języka polskiego [Grammatical Dictionary of Polish]‎[6], 4. online edition, Warszawa Middle Polish: Maria Renata Mayenowa, et al., editors (2010-2023), “most”, in Słownik Polszczyzny XVI Wieku [A Dictionary of 16th Century Polish] “MOST”, in Elektroniczny Słownik Języka Polskiego XVII i XVIII Wieku [Electronic Dictionary of the Polish Language of the XVII and XVIII Century], 23 June 2025 Historic dictionaries: Samuel Bogumił Linde (1809), “most”, in Słownik języka polskiego, volume 2a, page 144 Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861), “most”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861, volume I, page 681 J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1902), “most”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 2, Warsaw, page 1047 Witold Doroszewski, editor (1958–1969), “most”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), Warszawa: PWN Dialectal dictionaries: Aleksander Petrów (1878), “most”, in Lud Ziemi Dobrzyńskiej, jego zwyczaje, mowa, obrzędy, pieśni, léki, zagadki, przysłowa, i t p. (in Polish), page 34 Reinstein, Franciszek (October–December 1890), “Pani majstrowa z Podwala [Warszawa]”, in Wisła. Miesięcznik geograficzno-etnograiczny, volume 4, page 839 Jan Karłowicz (1903), “most”, in Hieronim Łopaciński, Wacław Taczanowski, editors, Słownik gwar polskich [Dictionary of Polish dialects] (in Polish), volume 3: L do O, Kraków: Akademia Umiejętności, page 186 == Serbo-Croatian == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mostъ (“bridge”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /môːst/ === Noun === mȏst m inan (Cyrillic spelling мо̑ст) bridge (construction or natural feature that spans a divide) Synonym: ćuprija Mostovi okruga Medison ― The Bridges of Madison County Most špijunȃ ― Bridge of Spies ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “most”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2026 == Slovak == === Etymology === Inherited from Proto-Slavic *mostъ (“bridge”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /mɔst/, [ˈmɔst] Rhymes: -ɔst === Noun === most m inan (relational adjective mostný or mostový, diminutive mostík or môstik) bridge ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “most”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026 == Slovene == === Etymology === From Proto-Slavic *mostъ (“bridge”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /móːst/ === Noun === mọ̑st m inan bridge (construction or natural feature that spans a divide) ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “most”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran “most”, in Termania, Amebis See also the general references == Volapük == === Noun === most (genitive mosta, plural mosts) monster ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== mostöf === Further reading === “most”, in Vödabuk (in English, Esperanto, and Volapük)