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supreme

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //səˈpɹim// UK //suːpɹˈiːm// supreme

adj. the highest or most important in rank, power, or quality. You use this to describe something that is the best or greatest possible version of its kind.

adj. highest in rank, authority, or quality; representing the ultimate or extreme degree of a particular attribute. Often used in formal titles or to describe absolute excellence.


SIMPLE

The court's decision is supreme and cannot be changed.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete performed with supreme confidence, knowing she had trained harder than anyone else in the competition.

COMPLEX

The treaty established a supreme council tasked with overseeing international trade, effectively centralising power that had previously been distributed among several smaller regional committees.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English suppreme, partly from Middle French suppreme, supreme and partly from its etymon, Latin suprēmus, superlative of superus (“that is above”). In the cooking sense, partly an independent borrowing of French suprême, partly merged with the existing English word. Doublet of supremo.

Usage

Typically functions as an attributive adjective placed before the noun. In culinary contexts, it can refer to a specific cut of poultry or fruit, though this is a specialized usage.

Idioms1 entry

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