optimal
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.the best or most effective possible in a particular situation.
adj.the most favourable or desirable condition or outcome, especially when considering specific constraints or requirements.
Simple“The plants need an optimal amount of sunlight and water to grow quickly.”
In context“To achieve optimal performance, the engine must be maintained at a specific temperature range throughout the duration of the flight.”
UsageThis adjective is non-gradable; something is either optimal or it is not, so avoid saying 'more optimal'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.the best possible level or state that can be reached.
n.the best or most favourable degree, quantity, or condition for a particular result.
Simple“The experiment reached its optimal after three hours of heating.”
In context“The research team sought to identify the mathematical optimal for fuel efficiency across various atmospheric pressures.”
UsageOften used interchangeably with 'optimum' in technical contexts.
Usage concurrent optimal · optimal choice · optimal combination
“The results were clear: In groups without AI, the optimal strategy was almost never discovered.”
“A theory dating back more than 100 years suggested that there is an optimal amount of stress for good performance, based on a study that had nothing to do with humans.”
From Latin optimus + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.