-issimo

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See also: -íssimo

Interlingua

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-issimo

  1. Added to an adjective, creates an adjective. This suffix is an intensifier which adds a qualifier of "extremely" or "remarkably."[1]

References

  1. ^ Interlingua Course for Beginners by Thomas Breinstrup

Italian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈis.si.mo/
  • Rhymes: -issimo
  • Hyphenation: -ìs‧si‧mo

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin -issimus. Compare Spanish -ísimo and Portuguese -íssimo which are partly based on the Italian forms.

Suffix

-issimo (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -issima, masculine plural -issimi, feminine plural -issime)

  1. added to adjectives to form absolute superlatives
    buono (good) + ‎-issimo → ‎buonissimo (as good as it gets, extremely good)
    grave (serious) + ‎-issimo → ‎gravissimo (very serious)
    consigliato (recommended) + ‎-issimo → ‎consigliatissimo (highly recommended)
    sconsigliato (not recommended, inadvisable) + ‎-issimo → ‎sconsigliatissimo (lowly recommended, highly inadvisable)
    primo (first) + ‎-issimo → ‎primissimo (very first)

Suffix

-issimo (adverb-forming suffix)

  1. added to adverbs to form absolute superlatives
    bene (well) + ‎-issimo → ‎benissimo (very well)
    spesso (often) + ‎-issimo → ‎spessissimo (very often)
    piano (softly) + ‎-issimo → ‎pianissimo (very softly)
    lentamente (slowly) + ‎-issimo → ‎lentissimamente (very slowly)
    velocemente (fastly) + ‎-issimo → ‎velocissimamente (very fastly)

Suffix

-issimo m (noun-forming suffix, plural -issimi)

  1. (often humorous) added to some nouns to form extremes
    poltrona (seat) + ‎-issima → ‎poltronissima (front row seat)
    finale (final) + ‎-issima → ‎finalissima (grand final)
Alternative forms

Usage notes

  • Terms formed with this suffix are invariably stressed on the antepenult.
  • The adjectival and adverbial suffix can be used multiple times for emphasis, when the suffix is used multiple times it drops its last vowel except the last time:
    bellissimovery beautiful
    bellissimissimovery very beautiful
    ...
  • When the adverbial suffix is used together with the suffix -mente, the suffix -issimo becomes -issima and it is always before the suffix -mente:
    velocissimamentevery fast
    velocissimissimamentevery very fast
    ...
  • The stress of -issimo is always stronger than the stress of -mente.

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Suffix

-issimo (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

  1. added to the stem of verbs ending in -ire to form the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive tense
    salire + ‎-issimo → ‎salissimo (that we be raised, gone up, etc; that we have risen, gone up)

Latin

Pronunciation

Suffix

-issimō

  1. superlative degree of