-most

suff.

1. Most: innermost.

2. Nearest to: aftmost.

[Middle English, alteration (influenced by most) of -mest, from Old English : -mo, -ma, superlative suff. + -est, superlative suff.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

-most

suffix

forming the superlative degree of some adjectives and adverbs: hindmost; uppermost.

[Old English -mǣst, -mest, originally a superlative suffix, later mistakenly taken as derived from mǣst (adv) most]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

most

(moʊst)

adj. superl. of much or many with more as compar.

1. in the greatest number, amount, or degree: the most votes; the most talent.

2. in the majority of instances: Most operations are successful.

3. the greatest quantity, amount, or degree: The most I can hope for is a passing grade.

4. the greatest number or greater part of what is specified: Most of his writing is rubbish.

5. the greatest number: The most this room will seat is 150.

6. the majority of persons: to be happier than most.

7. the most, Slang. the ultimate in something.

adv. superl. of muchwithmoreas compar.

8. in or to the greatest extent or degree (often used before adjectives and adverbs, and regularly before those of more than two syllables, to form superlative phrases having the same force and effect as the superlative degree formed by the termination -est): most rapid; most wisely.

9. very: most puzzling.

10. Informal. almost or nearly.

Idioms:

at (the) most, to an extent not exceeding the whole; generally; usually.

[before 900; Middle English most(e), Old English māst; c. Old Frisian māst, Old Saxon mēst, Old High German, German meist, Old Norse mestr, Gothic maists. compare more]

usage: The adverb most as a shortened form of almost goes back to 16th-century England, and in that country it is now principally dialectal. In American English most occurs before such pronouns as all, anyone, and everyone; the adjectives all, any, and every; and adverbs like anywhere and everywhere: Most everyone here is related. The use is often objected to, but it is common in informal speech and writing.

-most

a combining form of most occurring in a series of superlatives: foremost; utmost.

[Middle English -most; replacing Middle English, Old English -mest, double superlative suffix =-ma superlative suffix (as in Old English forma first; compare Latin prīmus) + -est -est¹; later identified with most]