Sottilissimi

Sottilissimi is the masculine plural form of the Italian adjective sottilissimo, meaning extremely thin or delicate. It is used both in a literal sense to describe objects with exceptional fineness, such as filaments, wires, or fabrics, and in a figurative sense to denote a high degree of subtlety, refinement, or precision in non-physical contexts.

Etymology and form: sottilissimi derives from the adjective sottile (thin, fine) with the superlative suffix -issimo. In Italian, the forms change for gender and number: singular masculine sottilissimo, singular feminine sottilissima, plural masculine sottilissimi, plural feminine sottilissime.

Usage: The term commonly appears in descriptions of physical texture—fili sottilissimi (extremely fine threads), capelli sottilissimi (very thin hairs). It is also employed metaphorically to signal nuance or delicacy, as in a sottilissimo distinguo (a very subtle distinction) or a sottilissima interpretazione (a highly nuanced interpretation). The word conveys not only literal thinness but a sense of meticulous refinement or almost imperceptible gradation.

Variants and related terms: Related adjectives include sottile (thin, subtle), sottigliezza (subtlety), and raffinato (refined). The superlative form is widely productive in Italian across domains such as art, design, science, and journalism, where precision and delicacy are emphasized.

See also: sottile, sottigliezza, sottilezza, sottilezza estetica.

Sottilissimi functions primarily as an adjective indicating extreme fineness or subtlety and is used across both concrete and abstract descriptions in standard Italian.