# best

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈbɛst/ · frequency rank #145

## Definitions
1. superlative form of good: most good.
2. Most; largest.
3. Most superior; most favorable.

## Etymology
From Middle English beste, best, from Old English betst, betest, from Proto-Germanic *batistaz.
Cognates
Cognate with Scots best (“best”), Cimbrian peste, péste (“best”), Dutch best (“best”), German beste (“best”), Yiddish בעסט (best, “best”), Danish bedst (“best”), Faroese bestur (“best”), Icelandic bestur, beztur (“best”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk best (“best”), Swedish bäst (“best”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐍄𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍃 (batists, “best”).

## Easily confused with
- **BS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bs)
- **Bt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bt)
- **but** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-but)
- **bit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bit)
- **bus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bus)
- **bet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bet)
- **bot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bot)
- **bis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bis)
- **bey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bey)
- **BTS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bts)
- **BSA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bsa)
- **bev** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bev)
- **bps** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bps)
- **BLS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bls)
- **BMT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bmt)
- **BFS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bfs)
- **boss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-boss)
- **busy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-busy)
- **boat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-boat)
- **bush** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/best-vs-bush)

## Common misspellings (5)
`bbest`, `besst`, `bestt`, `bset`, `ebst`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/best