optimal

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

English

Etymology

From Latin optimus +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɒptɪməl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɑptɪməl/

Adjective

optimal (not comparable)

1. The best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction.
2. (artificial intelligence) Describing a search algorithm that always returns the best result.

Synonyms

• best, ideal, optimum

Antonyms

• pessimal
• worst

Derived terms

Related terms

Related terms

• suboptimal

Translations

Noun

optimal (plural optimals)

1. The best of its kind

French

Etymology

From the Latin optimum suffixed with -al.

Pronunciation

Adjective

optimal (feminine optimale, masculine plural optimaux, feminine plural optimales)

1. optimal

Further reading

• “optimal”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔptiˈmaːl/
• Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

optimal (strong nominative masculine singular optimaler, comparative (colloquial) optimaler, superlative (colloquial) am optimalsten)

1. optimal (perfect)
2. optimal (as good as possible under a given condition)
3. very good

Usage notes

The comparation forms are considered incorrect by some prescriptivists, and are widely restricted to less formal usage.

Declension

Further reading

• “optimal” in Duden online
• “optimal” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French optimal. By surface analysis, optim +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /op.tiˈmal/

Adjective

optimal m or n (feminine singular optimală, masculine plural optimali, feminine and neuter plural optimale)

1. optimal

Declension

References

• optimal in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)