Pessimus

Pessimus is a Latin superlative adjective meaning the worst or very bad. It is the strongest form of the comparative malus and is used to express the highest degree of negative quality. In Classical Latin, pessimus functions as an adjective that agrees with a noun in gender, number, and case, and it is declined like other 1st/2nd declension adjectives.

Declension and forms: As a typical 1st/2nd declension adjective, pessimus has masculine nominative singular pessimus; feminine nominative singular pessima; neuter nominative singular pessimum. The remaining cases follow the standard endings for adjectives of this class (e.g., genitive pessimi, pessimae, pessimi; dative pessimo, pessimae, pessimo; accusative pessimum, pessimam, pessimum; ablative pessimo, pessima, pessimo). Plural forms include pessimi (masculine), pessimae (feminine), pessima (neuter) in the nominative, with corresponding endings in other cases.

Usage: Pessimus is used attributively to modify a noun or predicatively with a linking verb, as in haec res pessima est (“this thing is the worst”) or pessimus hostis (“the worst enemy”). It can also function as a substantive, where the noun is understood, e.g., pessimus. The word contrasts with optimus (the best) and with peior (worse) in its function as the ultimate degree of negative assessment.

Etymology and relation: Pessimus derives from the Latin root for “bad” and represents the absolute extreme of that quality in the language’s morphological system. It is part of the same comparative- and superlative-formation pattern that governs related adjectives in Latin.

See also: malus, optimus, peior.