previous next
124. The Comparative is regularly formed by adding -ior (neuter -ius),1 the Superlative by adding -issimus (-a, -um), to the stem of the Positive, which loses its final vowel:—

Note.--A form of diminutive is made upon the stem of some comparatives: as, grandius-culus, a little larger (see § 243).

cārus, dear (stem cāro-); cārior, dearer; cārissimus, dearest.
levis, light (stem levi-); levior, lighter; levissimus, lightest.
fēlīx, happy (stem fēlīc-); fēlīcior, happier; fēlīcissimus, happiest.
hebes, dull (stem hebet-); hebetior, duller; hebetissimus, dullest.

a. Participles when used as adjectives are regularly compared:—

  1. patiēns, patient; patientior, patientissimus.
  2. apertus, open; apertior, apertissimus.

1 The comparative suffix (earlier -iōs) is akin to the Greek -ίων, or the Sanskrit -iyans. That of the superlative (-issimus) is a double form of uncertain origin. It appears to contain the is- of the old suffix -is-to-s (seen in ἥδ-ιστο-ς and English sweetest） and also the old -mo-s (seen in prī-mus, mini-mus , etc.). The endings -limus and -rimus are formed by assimilation (§ 15. 6) from -simus. The comparative and superlative are really new stems, and are not strictly to be regarded as forms of inflection.

Ginn and Company, 1903.

The National Endowment for the Humanities provided support for entering this text.

Purchase a copy of this text (not necessarily the same edition) from Amazon.com

hide Display Preferences
Greek Display:
Arabic Display:
View by Default:
Browse Bar: