-est

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-est suffix of superl. adjs. and advs., repr. two OE. suffixes, (i) -ost :- Gmc. *-ōstaz (OS., OHG., Goth. -ōst, ON. -ast) and (ii) -(e)st (accompanied by mutation) :- Gmc. *-istaz (OS., OHG., Goth. -ist-); there are parallels in Gr. -isto-, Skr. -iṣṭha-, Cf. -ER3.