vielseitigsten

Vielseitigsten is the superlative form of the German adjective vielseitig, meaning “most versatile” or “most multifaceted.” It is used to describe plural nouns in attributive position, typically when a definite article or determiner is present, to indicate the highest degree of versatility among a group or set.

In standard usage, vielseitig describes something that has many different aspects, functions, or talents. The form vielseitigsten appears when the adjective is placed before a plural noun with a definite reference, as in die vielseitigsten Anwendungen (the most versatile applications) or die vielseitigsten Fähigkeiten (the most versatile abilities). The underlying structure is the base vielseitig plus the superlative suffix -sten, with the definite article contributing the plural ending -en in this context.

Grammatically, vielseitigsten belongs to the class of adjectives that form the superlative with -sten and take weak endings after definite determiners. The word can also appear in other superlative constructions, such as am vielseitigsten in adverbial use (though this form is less common in everyday language). For example, Sie ist am vielseitigsten; this would translate roughly as “she is the most versatile.”

Etymology-wise, vielseitig combines viel (“much” or “many”) with seitig (related to sides), yielding “many-sided” or “multifaceted.” The term is widely used in descriptions of people with diverse talents, products with multiple use cases, or ideas that cover several domains. It is part of the broader semantic field of versatility and adaptability in German.

See also: Vielseitigkeit, German adjectives, superlatives, declension.