optimum

noun

op·​ti·​mum ˈäp-tə-məm 

plural optima ˈäp-tə-mə  also optimums

1

: the amount or degree of something that is most favorable to some end

The substances were mixed in various proportions until an optimum was reached.

especially : the most favorable condition for the growth and reproduction of an organism

The soil condition for this crop is now at an optimum.

2

: greatest degree attained or attainable under implied or specified conditions

This agricultural pest reaches its optimum farther south.

optimum adjective

Examples of optimum in a Sentence

The substances were mixed in various proportions until an optimum was reached.

Recent Examples on the Web

But whose cost, and whose optimum? Models like Nordhaus’ assume economic development can protect people from the climate change that the same economic activity causes. —Noah Gordon, Vox, 1 Dec. 2024

Founded in 1975, the Bellevue-area dealership boasts an Experience Center where clients can hear Wilson Audio products at their optimum before purchasing. —Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024

This landscape might resemble a mountain range, where the top of each mountain represents a local optimum and where the challenge is to find the highest peak in the range—the global optimum. —IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2019

The average thickness of the meat cut by butchers for breaded beef was 5.9 mm, not too far from the optimum. —Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2013

The Ottoman Empire was stuck at a local optimum. —Razib Khan, National Review, 31 July 2021

However, the average thickness of the meat in the breaded beef ready for frying sold by the same butchers 3.7 mm, clearly thinner than the optimum. —Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 17 July 2013

This illustrates the evolutionary principle of convergence, where different populations approach the same phenotypic optimum, though by somewhat different means. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 22 Jan. 2012

Given enough time and gene flow no doubt adaptations would homogenize and converge upon a perfect optimum, but given enough time the universe will devolve into heat death. —Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 3 July 2010

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin, from neuter of optimus (earlier optumus) "best," probably originally "foremost, headmost," from ob "toward, in front of" + -tumus, -timus, superlative suffix (going back to Indo-European *-tm̥mos) — more at ob-

Note: Traditionally the initial element op- has been taken as the stem of op-, *ops "power, ability, wealth" (see opus), though superlative derivatives with -(t)imus are regularly formed from spatial prepositions (as extimus, intimus, postumus), not nouns. The inscriptional forms opitimus, opitumus probably contain an epenthetic vowel and hence would not be of etymological relevance.

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing optimum

• sub-optimum

Kids Definition

optimum

1 of 2 noun

op·​ti·​mum

ˈäp-tə-məm

plural optima

-mə

also optimums

: the best or most favorable amount or degree

optimum

2 of 2 adjective

: most desirable or satisfactory

under optimum conditions

Medical Definition

optimum

noun

op·​ti·​mum ˈäp-tə-məm 

plural optima -mə  also optimums

1

: the amount or degree of something that is most favorable to some end

especially : the most favorable condition for the growth and reproduction of an organism

2

: greatest degree attained or attainable under implied or specified conditions

optimum adjective