meest Dutch · revision 37400

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=901–1000, Wachtendonck Psalms|origins=gem-pro *maistaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /meːst/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''meest''' (inflected ''meeste''), the superlative of [[veel]] and of [[meer]].^(Wiktionary)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|meest]], [[inh|odt|mēst|alt=meist|t=greatest]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*maist]], [[inh|gem-pro|*maistaz|alt=*maista-|t=most, greatest]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary)^(ONW) It has always been a superlative: Middle Dutch used it beside the comparatives [[m|dum|mee]] and [[m|dum|meer]], and in modern Dutch it is the superlative of [[veel]].^(VMNW)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)^(EWN)

+

+ The same word is [[osx|mēst]], [[goh|meist]] (modern [[de|meist]]), [[ofs|māst]] (modern [[fy|meast]]), [[ang|mǣst]] (modern [[en|most]]), [[non|mestr]] and [[got|𐌼𐌰𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃|tr=maists]].^(EWN)^(Orel 2003)^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|244) According to the EWN the Germanic form was the superlative that went with the adjective [[gem-pro|*mikilaz|alt=*mekila-|t=big]], and it comes from the same root as the comparative.^(EWN) Köbler connects that root with [[ine-pro|*meh₁-|alt=*mē-|t=big, considerable]].^(Köbler ANFRK)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century have the adjective in the dative ''meistero'', in a phrase meaning “of the greatest crime”.^(EWN)^(ONW) Middle Dutch ''meest'' is found from 1265–1270 in the life of Saint Lutgart, both as an adverb (''Den genen die meest heilech es'', “the one who is holiest”) and with a noun, and in the late 13th century as an adjective: ''cete es alre vissce meest'', “the whale is the largest of all fish”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''meest'' meant “greatest, largest” in size or importance, the Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek noting that it then serves as the superlative of [[groot]]; it also meant “most numerous”, as in a text of 1287 that says the firefly is most common in Italy.^(EWN)^(MNW)^(VMNW) Phrases with the quantity sense follow: ''dat meeste deel van den lieden'' “the greater part of the people” (1322) and ''by den meesten gevolge'' “by a majority of votes” (1356–1387).^(EWN)^(MNW)

+

+ The Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal finds that the older language prefers the sense “greatest”, used even of persons and animals (a text of 1622 calls the elephant ''het meeste van de dieren''), while the later language prefers “making up the largest amount”; the use with plural nouns, ''de meeste rampen'' “most misfortunes”, is recorded from 1785.^(WNT) The sense “greatest, most important” is now obsolete.^(WNT) As an adverb ''meest'' meant “mostly, usually”, now mostly expressed by [[meestal]], and it forms the superlative of adjectives and participles.^(VMNW)^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

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+ The word went into Negerhollands as ''meest'', and Surinamese Javanese has ''deméste'' “mostly, often”.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 901–1000 – The Wachtendonck Psalms have the dative ''meistero'' “greatest”.^(EWN)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+ * 1265–1270 – Middle Dutch ''meest'' appears as an adverb and with a noun in the life of Saint Lutgart.^(VMNW)^(EWN)

+ * 1276–1300 – The whale is called ''alre vissce meest'', the largest of all fish.^(EWN)

+ * 1287 – ''Meest'' is used in the sense “most numerous”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1322 – ''Dat meeste deel van den lieden'' “most people” is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1622 – The elephant is called ''het meeste van de dieren'', the greatest of the animals.^(WNT)

+ * 1785 – ''Meest'' is used with a plural noun for the largest number: ''de meeste rampen''.^(WNT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Determiner===

+ # [[m|en|most]]: the largest amount or number of; the superlative of [[veel]]: ''Hij heeft het meeste geld van ons allemaal.''^(Wiktionary)^(WNT)

+ # ''(with the article, as a noun)'' the most; most people or things of a group: ''De meesten bleven thuis.''^(VMNW)^(MNW)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # most, to the highest degree; forms the superlative of adjectives and participles: ''de meest bezochte stad van het land''.^(Van Dale 2014)^(VMNW)

+ # ''(now uncommon)'' mostly, [[m|en|usually]]; now usually [[meestal]].^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[meestal]]

+ * [[meestentijds]]

+ * [[meestendeels]]

+ * [[allermeest]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[meer]]

+ * [[veel]]

+ * [[en|most]]

+ * [[de|meist]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Met de meeste hoogachting'' is a very formal closing formula of a letter.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}