-issimo

Suffix

-issimo

1. Added to an adjective, creates an adjective. This suffix is an intensifier which adds a qualifier of "extremely" or "remarkably."^[1]

References

Etymology

From Latin -issimus. Compare Spanish -ísimo and Portuguese -íssimo which are partly based on the Italian forms.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /isːimo/, [is̪.s̪i.mo]
• Hyphenation: -ìs‧si‧mo

Suffix

-issimo

1. Added to adjectives to form absolute superlatives.

   buono (“good”) + ‎-issimo → ‎buonissimo (“as good as it gets, extremely good”)

   grave (“serious”) + ‎-issimo → ‎gravissimo (“very serious”)

   consigliato (“recommended”) + ‎-issimo → ‎consigliatissimo (“highly recommended”)

   primo (“first”) + ‎-issimo → ‎primissimo (“very first”)

2. Added to adverbs to form absolute superlatives.

   bene (“well”) + ‎-issimo → ‎benissimo (“very well”)

   piano (“slow”) + ‎-issimo → ‎pianissimo (“very slowly”)

3. (often humorous) Added to some nouns to form extremes.

   poltrona (“seat”) + ‎-issima → ‎poltronissima (“front row seat”)

   finale (“final”) + ‎-issima → ‎finalissima (“grand final”)

4. Added to the stem of verbs ending in -ire to form the first-person plural imperfect subjunctive tense.

   salire + ‎-issimo → ‎salissimo (“that we be raised, gone up, etc; that we have risen, gone up”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈis.si.moː/, [ˈɪs.sɪ.moː]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈis.si.mo/

Suffix

-issimō

1. superlative degree of -ō