See also: -issimo

Portuguese

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin -issimus. The borrowing occurred during the Renaissance by influence of Italian[1].

Suffix

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-íssimo m (feminine -íssima, plural -íssimos, feminine plural -íssimas)

  1. forms the absolute superlative
    caro (expensive) + ‎-íssimo → ‎caríssimo (extremely expensive)
    feio (ugly) + ‎-íssimo → ‎feiíssimo (extremely ugly)

Usage notes

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  • Though both are called superlatives, Portuguese words suffixed with -íssimo are not equivalent to English words suffixed with -est or preceded by most. Instead, they are equivalent to using the adverbs very or extremely to qualify the adjective.
  • The following ending(s) change(s) in words appended with this suffix:
    • -ão (as a non-verb suffix, incl. plurals) → -on
    • -ã(o) (incl. plurals) → -(i)an, -am, or -(i)on, depending on the base word's etymology
    • -m (incl. plurals) → -n
    • -vel (unstressed and adjectival, incl. plurals) → -bil
    • -z (adjectival, incl. plurals) → -c
  • Adjectives ending in the semivowel i followed by a vowel lose the semivowel in nonstandard usage:
    feio (ugly) + ‎-íssimo → ‎feíssimo (nonstandard)
    feio (ugly) + ‎-íssimo → ‎feiíssimo (standard)
  • Some words may loan the superlative from Latin in addition to forming one with this suffix:
    paupérrimo (loaned from pauperrimus) and pobríssimo, superlatives of pobre
  • Colloquially, the syllable ssi may be repeated a number of times for emphasis:
    grande (big) + ‎-issíssimo → ‎grandissíssimo (very very big)

Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ 2009, Evanildo Bechara, Moderna Gramática Portuguesa, 37th edition, Editora Nova Fronteira, Editora Lucerna, page 154.