optimum

American  

[op-tuh-muhm] / ˈɒp tə məm /

noun

optima, plural optimums plural

1. the best or most favorable point, degree, amount, etc., as of temperature, light, and moisture for the growth or reproduction of an organism.

2. the greatest degree or best result obtained or obtainable under specific conditions.

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adjective

1. most favorable or desirable; best.

   optimum conditions.

   Synonyms:

   optimal, perfect, ideal

optimum British  

/ ˈɒptɪməm /

noun

1. a condition, degree, amount or compromise that produces the best possible result

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adjective

1. most favourable or advantageous; best

   optimum conditions

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• optima
  plural
• optimums
  plural

Etymology

Origin of optimum

First recorded in 1875–80; from Latin: noun use of neuter of optimus “best,” superlative of bonus “good”

Compare meaning

How does optimum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• optimum vs. optimal

Explanation

An optimum is the best condition or highest extent of something. He didn't mean to create a science experiment, but the unwashed coffee cup under his desk became the optimum dark, wet environment for growing lots of mold. Optimum came into English in the 19th century from the Latin optimus, "best." You can use optimum to describe the best conditions for meeting a goal or achieving something, and it often refers to conditions in scientific tests. Runners determine their optimum weight before running a marathon, and astronauts train in the optimum environments for recreating what they'll experience in space. Optimum conditions for a great barbecue might include sunshine and blue skies.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

optimum optima optimums

Everyone can then work at his optimum temperature and civilization can spread across all climates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The companies said it would be possible to move the vehicle to series production for rapid deployment at optimum cost by combining the industrial strengths of the two companies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

But would it be an optimum use of their respective talents?

From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026

Once temperatures move beyond this optimum, however, performance declines rapidly.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 12, 2026

But what is the optimum way, given severe constraints on size, cost and power requirements, to search for microbes on Mars?

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

By creating the first successful smartwatch, Pebble has defined a first optima against which others will innovate.

From Forbes ● Apr. 19, 2014

Budiardjo emphasizes that the problem of local optima in the Smart Space is becoming more recognized, but few have been able to implement effective solutions.

From Forbes ● May 25, 2010

Is the smart grid and all things smart suffering from the curse of local optima?

From Forbes ● May 25, 2010

At the conference I aim to seek out evidence for Budiardjo's hypothesis that the problem of local optima is having an effect on the pace of growth of the Smart Space.

From Forbes ● May 25, 2010

Quite to the contrary, the effort is towards segmentation, with the aim of reaching not global cohesion, but local cohesiveness, corresponding to local optima.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai

Some have much higher temperature optimums than the most deadly form of malaria, which is caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite carried by the mosquito Anopheles gambiae.

From Science Magazine ● Sep. 25, 2023