Bedeutendster

Bedeutendster is a German superlative form of the adjective bedeutend, meaning significant, important, or meaningful. It marks the highest degree of significance within a defined comparison or set.

In attributive position, the common form is bedeutendste when used with a definite article: der bedeutendste Beitrag, die bedeutendste Entdeckung, das bedeutendste Werk. In plural: die bedeutendsten Beiträge, die bedeutendsten Entdeckungen. In predicative use or when formed adverbially, the phrase occurs as am bedeutendsten, meaning “most significant” in that context.

Etymology and morphology: bedeutend derives from bedeuten, meaning “to signify,” plus the adjective-forming suffix -end. The superlative is built with the suffix -ste and appropriate endings to agree with gender and number. The form is most common in attributive position with a determiner and in predicative constructions like am bedeutendsten.

Usage: The term is frequent in scholarly, historical, or cultural writing to highlight priority or ranking among items. It conveys lasting impact or central importance rather than mere size or value and is more formal than synonyms such as wichtig or zentral. It can denote significance within a specific field or over a broader historical or cultural context.

Examples:

- Der bedeutendste Beitrag der Studie war die neue Methode.

- Diese Entdeckung ist eine der bedeutendsten in der Geschichte.

- Dieser Fund ist am bedeutendsten für die Archäologie.

See also: bedeutend, Bedeutung, Superlativ, Komparativ.