optimal

[op-tuh-muhl]

adjective

1. optimum.

optimal

/ ˈɒptɪməl /

adjective

1. another word for optimum

Other Word Forms

• optimally adverb
• superoptimal adjective
• optimality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of optimal¹

First recorded in 1885–90; optim(um) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

That means coordinating flows of income, withdrawals, Roth IRA conversions, charitable giving, capital gains, and equity compensation so that your income lands in the optimal tax bracket over time.

Read more on Barron's

They make inside jokes in Fante and then stare directly at me to encourage optimal discomfort.

Read more on Literature

"This kind of research is important for understanding how we can select the optimal bacteriophages for therapies, and to understand the differences in infectious behavior we see in the lab," Dr. Hodgkinson-Bean says.

Read more on Science Daily

They’re trying to figure out if some are better for you than others, if there is an optimal type of fermentation and what exactly it is about these foods that makes them healthy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When neutrons fly away from one fuel rod, the surrounding water slows them to the optimal speed before they reach the next uranium nuclei, making them more likely to create fission.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• excellent