fullest

Fullest is the superlative form of the adjective full. It is used to describe the maximum quantity, capacity, or degree of something. The word can modify nouns directly, as in the fullest bottle or the fullest bushel, or describe states, as in a container that is filled to the fullest. It also appears in abstract uses, such as the fullest expression of a idea, and in idioms like to the fullest, which emphasizes experiencing or using something to the maximum extent.

Etymology and grammar: The form derives from the Old English word full, with the standard English superlative suffix -est. In modern English, fuller and fullest are the conventional comparative and superlative forms, though in many contexts "most full" can also be used. Fuller denotes a greater degree of fullness relative to another item, while fullest denotes the maximum among a set. Fullest can function both attributively ("the fullest bottle") and predicatively ("the bottle is filled to the fullest").

Usage notes and examples: Fullest is common in everyday language and in formal writing, though in some contexts it may sound vivid or emphatic. Phrases associated with fullest include "the fullest extent," "to the fullest extent," and the idiom "live life to the fullest," which encourages maximum participation or enjoyment. In technical or scientific writing, fullness can refer to saturation or complete filling, such as a container filled to its fullest capacity.

See also: full, fuller, fullest extent, extent, maximum capacity.