fijnste

Fijnste is a Dutch adjective form meaning the finest or the most fine. It is the superlative of fijn, a word that describes quality, delicacy, or nicety. The superlative sense is used to indicate the highest degree of fineness among a group or comparison.

In standard Dutch, fijnste is used with a definite determiner such as de or het. For example, de fijnste stof (the finest fabric) or het fijnste moment (the finest moment). The form agrees with the noun in number; you can say de fijnste dingen (the finest things) or de fijnste jurken (the finest dresses). In predicative use, you can say, bijvoorbeeld: Dat is het fijnste moment.

The range of senses covered by fijn includes physical texture or quality (fine fabric, fine craftsmanship) as well as more subjective qualities (a fine performance, a fine idea). As a result, fijnste often appears in contexts of evaluation, praise, or precise description, spanning material attributes and experiential qualities.

Etymologically, fijn is an old Dutch adjective meaning delicate, refined, or of high quality, with fijnste functioning as its standard superlative form in contemporary Dutch. The word is widely used in both the Netherlands and Flemish-speaking regions.

See also: fijn, fijnproever, quality terms in Dutch.