What does priciest mean?
Priciest is the superlative form of the adjective pricey. It describes the item, option, or expense that has the highest price among a group of comparable things. The word is natural in both British and American English and is especially common in advertisements, consumer reports, travel discussions, and everyday comparisons. For example, a shop may advertise the priciest item in a collection, while a traveller might describe a hotel as the priciest option available. Priciest should not be confused with priceless: priciest means most expensive, whereas priceless means extremely valuable or impossible to put a price on. Although the ending -iest is normally associated with adjectives ending in -y, in this case it follows the consonant sound of the ending in pricey, while the y changes to i.
adjectiveThe superlative form of pricey, meaning having the highest price or being the most expensive of a group.
- Having the highest price or being the most expensive within a particular group.
"The priciest apartment in the building has a stunning view of the harbor."
"We chose the priciest model because it offered the longest warranty."
"The priciest tickets were already sold out by noon."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of priciest
The word is formed from the adjective pricey, which derives from price. Price itself comes through Old French from Latin pretium, meaning “price” or “value.” The comparison form pricier and the superlative priciest continue the modern adjective’s inflection, with the y changing to i before the comparative and superlative endings.
Related word forms
How priciest is actually used
Common in standard British and American English. It is the superlative of pricey and is typically used when comparing two or more things.
Easily confused with priciest
Priciest means the most expensive, whereas priceless means so valuable that it cannot be priced.