What does prettiest mean?
Prettiest is the superlative of pretty and means more beautiful, attractive, or pleasing than two or more alternatives. It commonly describes a person, but it can also apply to places, objects, animals, and experiences. In ordinary conversation, the word often carries an affectionate or admiring tone rather than a strictly objective one: calling something the prettiest can signal delight, fondness, or playful exaggeration. It is especially useful when a speaker wants to identify a favourite within a group without specifying which features of beauty or appeal matter most. Although its principal sense concerns visual attractiveness, the word can also convey general appeal in informal or emphatic contexts. Prettiest is readily distinguished from prettier, which makes a comparison between two things, whereas prettiest identifies the most appealing member of a larger group. The related forms prettily and prettiness refer respectively to manner and quality, while the verb prettify means to make something more attractive.
adjectivePrettiest means most beautiful, attractive, or pleasing. It is the superlative form of pretty.
- Most beautiful, attractive, or pleasing within a group.
"At dusk, the lake became the prettiest sight in the valley."
"At dusk, the lake became the prettiest sight in the valley."
"The kitten in the window was the prettiest animal the shelter had ever seen."
Prettier narrows the field; prettiest crowns it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of prettiest
The superlative arose through ordinary English inflection: adding the suffix -est to pretty. Pretty appeared in Middle English in the form preti, meaning fair or pleasing, and was borrowed from Anglo-Norman French preti. Its ultimate derivation is debated, with etymologists sometimes connecting it to Latin praestus, meaning excellent. The same English stem later produced prettiness, prettily, and the verb prettify.
Related word forms
How prettiest is actually used
The word is standard in everyday English and often expresses affection, admiration, or playful exaggeration. It can describe people, objects, places, animals, or experiences.
Easily confused with prettiest
Prettier is the comparative form and means more pretty than one other thing, whereas prettiest is the superlative and means the prettiest of a group.