æðstu

æðstu is an Icelandic adjective form meaning the highest or greatest. It functions as the superlative of the adjective æðstur and is used to describe something that occupies the top position in rank, degree, size, or intensity. In modern usage, æðstu appears before a noun and agrees with it in number and case, commonly referring to the foremost or most eminent in a given context.

In practice, æðstu is found in formal, historical, or descriptive prose when expressing extremity or supremacy. It can describe people, institutions, achievements, or goals that are regarded as the most important or highest within a set. For example, discussions of political or religious hierarchies may use phrases equivalent to “the highest authorities” or “the supreme goals.” The exact inflection of æðstu follows standard Icelandic adjective declension patterns, adapting to gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies.

Origin and related forms: æðstu derives from the base adjective æðstur, with the semantic field of eminence and authority. It shares roots with related Icelandic terms that convey magnitude, greatness, or supremacy and is cognate with similar forms in related North Germanic languages.

See also: æðstur, æðsta.