-issimo

See also: -íssimo

Interlingua

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin -issimus.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /-ˈi(s).si.mo/
Rhymes: -issimo, -isimo
Hyphenation: -is‧si‧mo

Suffix

-issimo

added to an adjective, creates an adjective. This suffix is an intensifier which adds a qualifier of "extremely" or "remarkably"^[1]

References

^ Breinstrup, Thomas ((Can we date this quote?)), Interlingua Course for Beginners

Italian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈis.si.mo/
Rhymes: -issimo
Hyphenation: -ìs‧si‧mo

Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin -issimus. Compare Spanish -ísimo and Portuguese -íssimo which are partly based on the Italian forms.

Suffix

-issimo (adjective-forming suffix, feminine -issima, masculine plural -issimi, feminine plural -issime)

added to adjectives to form absolute superlatives
‎buono (“good”) + ‎-issimo → ‎buonissimo (“as good as it gets, extremely good”)

‎grave (“serious”) + ‎-issimo → ‎gravissimo (“very serious”)

‎consigliato (“recommended”) + ‎-issimo → ‎consigliatissimo (“highly recommended”)

‎sconsigliato (“not recommended, inadvisable”) + ‎-issimo → ‎sconsigliatissimo (“lowly recommended, highly inadvisable”)

‎primo (“first”) + ‎-issimo → ‎primissimo (“very first”)

Suffix

-issimo (adverb-forming suffix)

added to adverbs to form absolute superlatives
‎bene (“well”) + ‎-issimo → ‎benissimo (“very well”)

‎spesso (“often”) + ‎-issimo → ‎spessissimo (“very often”)

‎piano (“softly”) + ‎-issimo → ‎pianissimo (“very softly”)

‎lentamente (“slowly”) + ‎-issimo → ‎lentissimamente (“very slowly”)

‎velocemente (“fastly”) + ‎-issimo → ‎velocissimamente (“very fastly”)

Suffix

-issimo m (noun-forming suffix, plural -issimi)

(often humorous) added to some nouns to form extremes
‎poltrona (“seat”) + ‎-issima → ‎poltronissima (“front row seat”)

‎finale (“final”) + ‎-issima → ‎finalissima (“grand final”)

Alternative forms

-issima (after feminine nouns)

Usage notes

Terms formed with this suffix are invariably stressed on the antepenult.
The adjectival and adverbial suffix can be used multiple times for emphasis, when the suffix is used multiple times it drops its last vowel except the last time:
bellissimo ― very beautiful

bellissimissimo ― very very beautiful

...
When the adverbial suffix is used together with the suffix -mente, the suffix -issimo becomes -issima and it is always before the suffix -mente:
velocissimamente ― very fast

velocissimissimamente ― very very fast

...
The stress of -issimo is always stronger than the stress of -mente.

Derived terms

Italian terms suffixed with -issimo

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Suffix

-issimo (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

added to the stem of verbs ending in -ire to form the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive tense
‎salire + ‎-issimo → ‎salissimo (“that we be raised, gone up, etc; that we have risen, gone up”)

Latin

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ɪs.sɪ.moː]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [is.si.mo]
Hyphenation: -is‧si‧mō

Suffix

-issimō (superlative)

superlative degree of -ō

Suffix

-issimō

dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of -issimus

[1] Breinstrup, Thomas ((Can we date this quote?)), Interlingua Course for Beginners

[1]