Issima

Issima is the feminine form of the Italian superlative suffix -issimo. In Italian grammar, -issimo is attached to adjectives (and some derived adverbs) to express the highest degree of a quality, functioning as a strong intensifier. The feminine form -issima is used when the modified word is feminine, for example bellissima, grandissima, felicissima, triste → tristissima, and così via. The masculine counterpart is -issimo (bellissimo, grandissimo, felicissimo).

Origin and morphology: the suffix originates from Latin -issimus, the classical Latin superlative. In Italian, the suffix is attached to the stem of the adjective, often after small orthographic adjustments. Some common changes include replacing the final vowel of the masculine stem or preserving assimilation such as bello → bellissimo and buono → buonissimo. Many adjectives can take -issimo/-issima across a wide semantic range, including color, size, quality, and degree (facile → facilissimo, interessante → interessantissimo, piccolo → piccolissimo).

Usage: -issimo/-issima conveys a hyperbolic or emphatic sense of the adjective, similar to “very” in English but often stronger and more conventional in Italian. It is widely used in both formal and informal contexts, including everyday speech, literature, advertising, and colloquial expressions. The form can also appear in adverbs derived from adjectives (veloce → velocissimo, meaning “very fast”). While highly productive, the suffix may carry stylistic nuance; some speakers use it for affectionate or playful emphasis, while in other contexts it may feel overly grandiose.

Cross-linguistic note: Romance languages have analogous suffixes (Spanish -ísimo, Portuguese -íssimo), but usage, morphology, and frequency vary by language.