least

least

synonyms, antonyms, definitions, examples & translations of least in English

English Online Dictionary. What means least‎? What does least mean?

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English leste, lest, last, from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest, lærest (least), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (smallest; least), related to Old English læs (less). Cognate with Old Frisian leist, Old Saxon lēs. More at less.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /liːst/
  • (General American) IPA(key): /list/
  • Rhymes: -iːst
  • Homophone: leased

Determiner

least (comparative less)

  1. The most little; the smallest amount or quantity of something.
Usage notes

Some grammarians recommend to use least only with uncountable nouns, as in the examples above with the smallest amount of sense:

To such grammarians least is the superlative of a little, not that of little, so it does not mean smallest, but the smallest amount of. With plural nouns, they recommend fewest. However, other authorities disagree; the OED lists least as a synonym of fewest without any usage notes discussing this meaning.

Translations

Adverb

least (negative superlative)

  1. Used for forming superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
    It was the least surprising thing.
  2. In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others.
    to reward those who least deserve it
    I never hid the truth, least of all from you.
    I don't much like housework, and I like cooking least.
Antonyms
  • most
Translations

Noun

least (plural leasts)

  1. (philosophy) Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit.

Adjective

least

  1. (archaic, outside of fixed terms) superlative degree of little; smallest

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Contraction of at least.

Alternative forms

  • 'least

Prepositional phrase

least

  1. (informal, nonstandard) At least.

References

  • “least”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

  • Astle, ETLAs, Slate, Teals, Tesla, astel, laste, lates, leats, salet, setal, slate, stale, steal, stela, taels, tales, teals, telas, tesla

Norwegian Nynorsk

Alternative forms

  • leas (non-standard since 2012)

Verb

least

  1. passive infinitive of le
  2. passive infinitive of lea

Anagrams

  • elast, laset, laste, lesta, letas, létas, salet, salte, selta, stela, tasle, telas, tesla

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This article based on an article on Wiktionary. The list of authors can be seen in the page history there. The original work has been modified. This article is distributed under the terms of this license.