bekendste

Bekendste is a Dutch superlative adjective meaning “the most well-known” or “the most famous.” It is formed from the adjective bekend (known) by adding the suffix -ste, which marks the superlative when the noun it modifies is definite or generic. The comparative form is bekender (more well-known), while the superlative form is bekendste (the most well-known).

In use, bekendste designates the entity with the highest level of public recognition within a specified group. It is common with determiners such as de or het: de bekendste kunstenaar van Nederland; het bekendste verhaal in de bibliotheek. The form remains the same for singular and plural: de bekendste persoon, de bekendste personen; het bekendste verhaal, de bekendste verhalen.

The term can carry a neutral or evaluative nuance, depending on context; what counts as bekend en bekendste can vary by audience and over time. It is closely related to beroemd, but bekend expresses recognition and familiarity more than intrinsic fame. In scholarly or journalistic Dutch, bekendste is a standard way to denote a ranking of recognition within a group, whether discussing artists, places, works, or phenomena.