English word origin

Etymology of -est

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

suffix

Used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-yōs Proto-Indo-European *-tHós Proto-Indo-European *-istos Proto-Germanic *-istaz Proto-West Germanic *-ist Old English -est Middle English -est English -est From Middle English -est, from Old English -est, -ost, from Proto-West Germanic *-ist, *-ōst, from Proto-Germanic *-istaz, *-ōstaz, related to comparative -er. Cognate of Afrikaans -ste, Dutch -st, German -(e)st, Danish -(e)st, Swedish -(a)st. Via PIE cognate with Ancient Greek -ιστος (-istos), see Pleistocene, protist.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mention-estenm
Inherited-form mention-estang
Inherited-form mention*-istgmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*-istaz, *-ōstazgem-pro
Cognate mention-steaf
Cognate mention-stnl
Cognate mention-stde
Cognate mention-estda
Cognate mention-astsv
Cognate mention-ιστοςgrc

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-est<id:most>",
        "id": "most",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-yōs\nProto-Indo-European *-tHós\nProto-Indo-European *-istos\nProto-Germanic *-istaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ist\nOld English -est\nMiddle English -est\nEnglish -est\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-istaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ist\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-est\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-est\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-est\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"most\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-est\" id=\"English:_most\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-est"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -est"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "-est"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English -est"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*-ist"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *-ist"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*-istaz, *-ōstaz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *-istaz, *-ōstaz"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "af",
        "2": "-ste"
      },
      "expansion": "Afrikaans -ste"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "-st"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch -st"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "-st",
        "3": "-(e)st"
      },
      "expansion": "German -(e)st"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "-est",
        "3": "-(e)st"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish -(e)st"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "-ast",
        "3": "-(a)st"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish -(a)st"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "grc",
        "2": "-ιστος"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek -ιστος (-istos)"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-est<id:most>",
        "id": "most",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-yōs\nProto-Indo-European *-tHós\nProto-Indo-European *-istos\nProto-Germanic *-istaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ist\nOld English -est\nMiddle English -est\nEnglish -est"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*-yōs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-yōs#Proto-Indo-European:_very"
    ],
    [
      "*-tHós",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-tós#Proto-Indo-European:_verbal_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-istos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-istos"
    ],
    [
      "*-istaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-istaz#Proto-Germanic:_most"
    ],
    [
      "*-ist",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ist#Proto-West_Germanic:_most"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Old_English:_most"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Middle_English:_most"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-ost",
      "-ost#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*-ist",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ist"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōst",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ōst"
    ],
    [
      "*-istaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-istaz"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōstaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōstaz"
    ],
    [
      "-er",
      "-er#English"
    ],
    [
      "-ste",
      "-ste#Afrikaans"
    ],
    [
      "-st",
      "-st#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "-(e)st",
      "-st#German"
    ],
    [
      "-(e)st",
      "-est#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "-(a)st",
      "-ast#Swedish"
    ],
    [
      "-ιστος",
      "-ιστος#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "Pleistocene",
      "Pleistocene#English"
    ],
    [
      "protist",
      "protist#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form the superlative of adjectives and adverbs."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme"
      ],
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    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

suffix

Used to form the second-person singular present tense and past tense of verbs. (if thou is the subject; not used with you)

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yési Proto-Germanic *-ōsi Proto-West Germanic *-ōs Old English -ast Middle English -est English -est From Middle English -est, -st, from Old English -est, -ast, -st, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *-zi, from Proto-Indo-European *-si. The -t was by transfer from inverted order where thou followed the verb, which also occurred in most dialects of Middle Dutch and Middle High German (compare modern German -st).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inherited-form mention-est, -stenm
Inherited-form mention-est, -ast, -stang
Inherited-form mention*-zigem-pro
Inherited-form mention*-siine-pro
Cognate mention-stde

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-est<id:second-person singular>",
        "id": "second-person singular",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yési\nProto-Germanic *-ōsi\nProto-West Germanic *-ōs\nOld English -ast\nMiddle English -est\nEnglish -est\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōsi\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōs\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-ast\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-est\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-est\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"second-person singular\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-est\" id=\"English:_second-person_singular\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-est, -st"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -est, -st"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "-est, -ast, -st"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English -est, -ast, -st"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*-zi"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *-zi"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*-si"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *-si"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "-st"
      },
      "expansion": "German -st"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-est<id:second-person singular>",
        "id": "second-person singular",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂yési\nProto-Germanic *-ōsi\nProto-West Germanic *-ōs\nOld English -ast\nMiddle English -est\nEnglish -est"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*-eh₂yési",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-eh₂yési"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōsi",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōsi"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-ōs"
    ],
    [
      "-ast",
      "-ast#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Middle_English:_second-person_singular"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-st",
      "-st#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-est",
      "-est#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-ast",
      "-ast#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-st",
      "-st#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*-zi",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-zi"
    ],
    [
      "*-si",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-si"
    ],
    [
      "thou",
      "thou#English"
    ],
    [
      "-st",
      "-st#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form the second-person singular present tense and past tense of verbs. (if thou is the subject; not used with you)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "dialectal",
        "morpheme"
      ],
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
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  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for -est →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-LWVzdA