From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Superlative \Su'per*la"tive\, noun
1. That which is highest or most eminent; the utmost degree.
2. (Gram.) (a) The superlative degree of adjectives and adverbs; also, a form or word by which the superlative degree is expressed; as, strongest, wisest, most stormy, least windy, are all superlatives.
{Absolute superlative}, a superlative in an absolute rather than in a comparative or exclusive sense. See {Elative}.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Superlative \Su'per*la"tive\, adjective [L. superlativus, fr. superlatus excessive, used as p. p. of superiorferre, but from a different root: cf. F. superlatif. See {Elate}, {Tolerate}.]
1. Lifted up to the highest degree; most eminent; surpassing all other; supreme; as, superlative wisdom or prudence; a woman of superlative beauty; the superlative glory of the divine character.
2. (Gram.) Expressing the highest or lowest degree of the quality, manner, etc., denoted by an adjective or an adverb. The superlative degree is formed from the positive by the use of -est, most, or least; as, highest, most pleasant, least bright. -- {Su'per*la"tive*ly}, adverb -- {Su'per*la"tive*ness}, noun
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: highest in quality [syn: {greatest}, {sterling(a)}]
noun
1: an exaggerated expression (usually of praise); "the critics lavished superlatives on it"
2: the highest level or degree attainable; "his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty"; "the artist's gifts are at their acme"; "at the height of her career"; "the peak of perfection"; "summer was at its peak"; "...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame"; "the summit of his ambition"; "so many highest superlatives achieved by man"; "at the top of his profession" [syn: {acme}, {height}, {elevation}, {peak}, {pinnacle}, {summit}, {top}]
3: the superlative form of an adjective; "'best' is the superlative form of 'good'"
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
215 Moby Thesaurus words for "superlative": Olympian, absolute, accomplished, ace, aerial, aggrandized, aggrandizement, airy, altitudinous, amplification, amplified, arrant, ascending, aspiring, ballyhoo, ballyhooed, best, big talk, blowing up, burlesque, capital, caricature, champion, choice, chosen, classical, colossal, complete, consummate, crack, crass, cream, dazzling, decided, definitive, dilatation, dilation, disproportionate, dominating, downright, egregious, elect, elevated, elite, eminent, enhancement, enlargement, ethereal, exaggerated, exaggerating, exaggeration, exalted, excellent, exceptional, excess, excessive, exorbitance, exorbitant, expansion, extraordinary, extravagance, extravagant, extreme, fantastic, fat, finest, finished, first-class, first-rate, flagrant, flower, glaring, grandiloquence, grandiloquent, great, greatest, gross, haughty, heightening, high, high-flown, high-pitched, high-reaching, high-set, high-up, highest, huckstering, hyperbole, hyperbolic, hyperbolism, incomparable, inflated, inflation, inordinacy, inordinate, intolerable, lofty, magnification, magnificent, magnified, matchless, maximal, maximum, monumental, most, mounting, nonesuch, nonpareil, optimum, out-and-out, outright, outstanding, outtopping, overdone, overdrawn, overemphasis, overemphasized, overemphatic, overestimated, overestimation, overgreat, overkill, overlarge, overlooking, overpraised, oversold, overstated, overstatement, overstressed, overtopping, overwrought, paragon, paramount, peerless, perfect, pick, positive, precious, prime, prize, prodigal, prodigality, profound, profuse, profuseness, prominent, pronounced, proper, puffed, puffery, puffing up, queen, quintessence, rank, regular, select, sensationalism, shattering, shocking, singular, smashing, soaring, spectacular, spiring, stark, stark-staring, steep, sterling, stretched, stretching, sublime, super, superb, superexcellent, superior, supernal, supreme, surpassing, tall talk, terrific, the best, the best ever, the tops, the veriest, the very best, thorough, thoroughgoing, tip-top, top, top-notch, topless, toplofty, topmost, topping, total, touted, touting, towering, towery, travesty, unbearable, unconscionable, undeniable, unequivocal, unique, unmitigated, unqualified, unrelieved, unspoiled, unsurpassed, uplifted, uppermost, upreared, utmost, utter
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