least English · revision 2024

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 950 (Old English lǣst)|origins=ine-pro *leis-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /liːst/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|leest]], [[inh|ang|lǣst]], a contraction of earlier [[m|ang|lǣsest|t=smallest]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002) from [[gem-pro|*laisistaz]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) the superlative formed on the same base as [[less]].^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) Etymonline traces it to [[ine-pro|*leis-|t=small]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It serves as the superlative of [[little]],^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) but Chambers points out that, like ''less'', it has no positive of its own.^(Chambers 2008) Its counterpart in Old Frisian is [[m|ofs|lērest|t=least]].^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Smallest, lowest in power or position: Old English ''lǣst'', before 950,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) also used as an adverb, “in the least degree”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As a noun it meant “the least important person” about 1125,^(Barnhart 1988) and “the smallest admissible amount” in the early 12th century.^(Etymonline) ''At least'' “not to say more than is certainly true” goes back to Middle English ''æt læstan'', “at the lowest degree”.^(Etymonline) The Middle English adjective appears probably before 1200 in the ''Ancrene Riwle''.^(Barnhart 1988) From 1597 ''least'' has been used in the names of the smallest species of a group of plants or animals.^(HTOED) Colloquially it can also mean “fewest”.^(SOED 2002) ''Leastways'' and ''leastwise'' are formed from it.^(Hoad 1986)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 950 – Old English ''lǣst''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1125 – noun, the least important person.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – Middle English adjective and adverb (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1597 – in names of small species.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Smallest in size, amount or degree; slightest.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Lowest in importance or rank.^(AHD)

+ # ''(biology)'' Being the smallest [[species]] of a group.^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # To the smallest extent or degree.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The smallest or least important one; the minimum: ''at least ten''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[leastwise]]

+ * [[least common denominator]]

+ * [[least common multiple]]

+ * [[least flycatcher]]

+ * [[least sandpiper]]

+ * [[least shrew]]

+ * [[least squares]]

+ * [[least tern]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[less]]

+ * [[little]]

+ * [[lest]]

+ * [[leastways]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}