Välttävimmän

Välttävimmän is a Finnish adjective form used to express the superlative degree of the word välttävä, which means adequate, sufficient, or passable. In practice, välttävimmän denotes “the most adequate” within a defined set or comparison. The form is a genitive singular of the superlative, and it appears when the adjective modifies a noun in a genitive (or in similar constructions) such as arvosanan or tuloksen.

Grammatically, Finnish adjectives decline for case and number like nouns, and the superlative degree is expressed with the suffix -imm-, with the final -n shown in the genitive singular form. Therefore, välttävimmän is the form you would encounter in phrases that require the genitive singular of the superlative adjective. This makes it a relatively formal or literary construction, more common in written language, evaluations, or linguistic discussions than in casual speech.

Usage notes include the nuance that välttävä indicates merely adequate or sufficient quality, not high or excellent performance. The superlative strengthens this meaning to indicate the highest degree of adequacy among the options or within a given set. Because of this nuance, välttävimmän is typically found in evaluative or comparative contexts, such as academic reports, assessments, or analysis.

Example: Kokeen tulokset osoittavat, että opiskelijat saivat välttävimmän arvosanan. This illustrates the idea of a grade that represents the highest level of adequacy among the options considered.

See also: välttävä, tyydyttävä, epätäydellinen (related evaluative terms).