clarissima

Clarissima is the feminine superlative form of the Latin adjective clarus, meaning "clear," "bright," or "famous." In Latin grammar, clarissima modifies feminine nouns and expresses the sense of "the most clear" or, figuratively, "the most notable" or "the most famous." The masculine and neuter equivalents are clarissimus and clarissimum, respectively.

In classical and medieval Latin, clarissima appears as an epithet or honorific used to signal eminence or distinction. It can occur in inscriptions, poetry, or prose to praise a person, an virtue, or a thing. For example, phrases such as clarissima domina (the most illustrious lady) or clarissima vox (the most eminent voice) illustrate its evaluative nuance, though the exact meaning depends on context and surrounding language.

Modern usage of clarissima is largely scholarly or stylistic. It is most often encountered in discussions of Latin grammar, historical texts that imitate classical phrasing, or in mottos and titles meant to evoke antiquity. It is not a fixed or standardized title in contemporary institutions, but its form can appear in Latinized or pseudo-Latin expressions within literature or academic works.

Etymology traces clarissima to clarus, from which derivatives such as clarissimus and clarissimum also arise. The term remains a useful example of Latin superlatives and of how adjective forms connect with gender and number in classical grammar. See also clarus, clarissimus, and related Latin adjectives of brightness and fame.