høyest

Høyest is the superlative form of the Norwegian adjective høy, meaning high in height or level. It denotes the extreme, the topmost, within a group and is used when three or more items are compared or when describing the utmost degree of a quality.

In Bokmål usage, the common attributive superlative before a noun is usually høyeste, as in det høyeste fjellet. In predicative constructions with a linking verb, the form often appears as høyest, for example han er høyest i klassen or fjellet er høyest i regionen. These patterns reflect standard orthography and common stylistic choices, though regional variation can occur.

In Nynorsk, the corresponding form is høgaste, used in similar ways to express the highest degree. Some dialects may show alternative spellings or variations, but høgaste remains the standard form in Nynorsk for attributive use.

Etymology and related forms: høy derives from Old Norse hár, meaning high. The word’s superlative builds on this root with Norwegian suffixes for comparison. Related words include the basic positive form høy and the comparative form høyere, used for less-than-maximum comparisons.

See also: høy, høyere, høyeste, Norwegian grammar, Norwegian adjectives.