waardevolste

Waardevolste is a Dutch adjective in its superlative form, meaning the most valuable or most significant. It is used to identify the item, person, or concept that holds the greatest value within a defined set or context, whether monetary, historical, cultural, or subjective.

It is commonly used before a noun (de waardevolste [noun] / het waardevolste [noun]), as in de waardevolste schat (the most valuable treasure) or het waardevolste bezit (the most valuable asset). In predicative use it can appear with a linking verb: Dit is het waardevolste wat we hebben. The term expresses a relative value within a group rather than an absolute price.

Relation and nuance: waardevolste is closely related to waardevol and kostbaar; kostbaarste tends to emphasize monetary or material worth, while waardevolste highlights significance, usefulness, or non-monetary value. The choice between these forms depends on context and what kind of value is being conveyed.

Etymology and formation: waardevol is formed from waarde (value) plus the suffix -vol, and the superlative is created with -ste, yielding waardevolste. In usage, the definite article de or het can accompany the superlative when attributive, while the predicative form stands alone as het waardevolste in appropriate constructions.