billijkste

Billijkste is the superlative form of the Dutch adjective billijk, meaning fair, just, or reasonable. It describes the option, decision, or distribution that is most fair in a given set of circumstances. The base form is billijk, with the comparative billijker and the superlative billijkste. In predicative use you can say het billijkste voorstel, de billijkste oplossing, of de billijkste verdeling.

Etymology and relation: billijk is a Dutch-origin adjective related to terms such as eerlijk (honest) and rechtvaardig (just). The sense of fairness in billijk relates to both moral legitimacy and practical reasonableness.

Usage: billijkste appears in legal, policy, economic, and ethical discussions when comparing alternatives under constraints like limited resources or competing interests. It carries a normative connotation, signaling that a choice is justified by fairness criteria rather than efficiency alone.

Alternatives and nuance: Depending on context, speakers may prefer eerlijkste of rechtvaardigste to emphasize honesty or justice, or simply use meer billijk and het meest billijk, though billijker and billijkste remain the standard comparative and superlative forms.

See also: billijk, billijkheid, eerlijk, rechtvaardig, rechtvaardigheid.