Note: these 'words' (valid or invalid) are all the permutations of the word best. These words are obtained by scrambling the letters in best.
Definitions and meaning of best
best
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈbɛst/
Rhymes: -ɛst
Etymology 1
From Middle Englishbeste, best, from Old Englishbetst, betest, from Proto-Germanic*batistaz.
Adjective
best (comparativebetteror(nonstandard, humorous)bester, superlative(nonstandard, humorous)bestest)
superlative form of good: most good.
Most; largest.
Most superior; most favorable.
Usage notes
The comparative gooder and superlative goodest derived from the positive good are nonstandard. In informal (often jocular) contexts, best may be inflected further and given the comparative bester and the superlative bestest; these forms are also nonstandard.
Antonyms
worst
baddest(nonstandard)
Derived terms
Translations
Adverb
best
superlative form of well: most well
To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.
Translations
Noun
best (countable and uncountable, pluralbests)
(uncountable) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.
(uncountable) One's best behavior.
(countable) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.
Derived terms
first best
level best
Translations
Verb
best (third-person singular simple presentbests, present participlebesting, simple past and past participlebested)
To surpass in skill or achievement.
(transitive) To beat in a contest.
Conjugation
Antonyms
worst
Translations
Related terms
better
bestest
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Shortening of had best
Verb
best
(modal verb, colloquial) Had best.
Usage notes
Although it is sometimes considered an adverb, best is virtually synonymous with should in We best be going. and ought toWe best go.. Should and ought are auxiliary verbs.
References
“best”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
“best”, in The Century Dictionary[…], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams
BTEs, Bets, bets
Dutch
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /bɛst/
Hyphenation: best
Rhymes: -ɛst
Homophone: Best
Etymology 1
From Middle Dutchbest, from Old Dutch*betst, from Proto-Germanic*batistaz, superlative of *gōdaz. Compare Low Germanbest, Englishbest, West Frisianbest, Germanbesten, Danishbedst.
Adjective
best
superlative degree of goed; best.
fine, okay
dear, venerable (in a polite address)
Inflection
(definite inflected form):beste
Synonyms
(fine):prima
Descendants
Afrikaans: beste
Berbice Creole Dutch: besti
Negerhollands: bes, best
→? Sranan Tongo: besi
Adverb
best
quite, rather
Etymology 2
Noun
bestf (pluralbesten, diminutivebestjen)
(dated, chiefly diminutive)Alternative form of bes(“old woman”).
Masurian
Etymology
Inherited from Old Polishbez.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ˈbɛst]
Syllabification: best
Noun
bestm inan (related adjectivebestowi)
elder (bush of genus Sambucus)
lilac (bush of genus Syringa)
Further reading
Zofia Stamirowska (1987-2024) “I. bez”, in Anna Basara, editor, Słownik gwar Ostródzkiego, Warmii i Mazur[2], volume 1, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich Wydawnictwo Polskiej Akademii Nauk, →ISBN, page 165
Günter Donder (2011) “+”, in Kleines masurisches Wörterbuch mit Lesestücken und einen Tonträger[3] (in German), archived from the original on 10/12/2023, page 11
Middle Dutch
Etymology
From Old Dutch*betst, from Proto-Germanic*batistaz.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /best/
Adjective
best
best; superlative degree of goet
Adverb
best
best; superlative degree of wel
Descendants
Dutch: best
Afrikaans: beste
Berbice Creole Dutch: besti
Negerhollands: bes, best
→? Sranan Tongo: besi
Limburgish: bès
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old Englishbetst, betest.
Adjective
best
Alternative form of beste
Adverb
best
Alternative form of beste
Etymology 2
From Old Frenchbeste.
Noun
best
Alternative form of beeste
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
From Old Norsebeztr.
Adjective
best
indefinite singular superlative degree of god: best
indefinite singular superlative degree of bra: best
Derived terms
bestselger
bestselgende
References
“best” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
From Old Norsebeztr.
Adjective
best
indefinite singular superlative degree of god: best
indefinite singular superlative degree of bra
References
“best” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Old Saxon
Alternative forms
betst
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic*batistaz.
Adverb
best
best
Descendants
Low German: best
Plautdietsch
Verb
best
second-person singular present of sennen
Portuguese
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Englishbest.
Pronunciation
Noun
bestm or f by sense (invariable)
(Brazil, chiefly Internet slang) bestie
Synonym:BFF
Further reading
“best” in Dicionário inFormal.
Scots
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [bɛst]
Adjective
best
superlative degree of guid
Derived terms
ill-best(“best of a bad lot, best of a poor selection”)