suboptimal

suboptimal

See also: sub-optimal

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *upó
Proto-Italic *supo
Latin sub
Latin sub-der.
English sub-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁epi
Proto-Indo-European *-tm̥mos
?
Latin optimus
Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.?
Proto-Italic *-ālis
Latin -ālisbor.
Old French -albor.
▲
Latin -ālis
Old French -elbor.
▲
Latin -ālisbor.
Middle English -al
English -al
English optimal
English suboptimal

    From sub- + optimal.

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    suboptimal (not comparable)

    1. Worse than optimal; of less than the highest standard or quality.
      Synonyms: inoptimal, nonoptimal
      Hyponyms: subminimal, subpar
      Coordinate term: unoptimized
      Near-synonym: submaximal
      A quickly produced suboptimal solution to a problem is often more useful than an optimal one that takes a long time to produce.
      • 2023 October 4, Mel Holley, “Network News: Conservative MPs criticise ticket office closure plans”, in RAIL, number 993, page 23:
        "The way the consultation has been handled is suboptimal," she continued.

    Derived terms

    Translations

    French

    Etymology

      From sub- +‎ optimal.

      Adjective

      suboptimal (feminine suboptimale, masculine plural suboptimaux, feminine plural suboptimales)

      1. suboptimal

      German

      Etymology

        sub- +‎ optimal

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˌzʊpʔɔptiˈmaːl/, /ˈzʊpʔɔptiˌmaːl/
        • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
        • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
        • Rhymes: -aːl

        Adjective

        suboptimal (strong nominative masculine singular suboptimaler, not comparable)

        1. suboptimal

        Declension

        Positive forms of suboptimal (uncomparable)
        number & gender singular plural
        masculine feminine neuter
        predicative er ist suboptimal sie ist suboptimal es ist suboptimal sie sind suboptimal
        strong declension
        (without article)         		nominative suboptimaler suboptimale suboptimales suboptimale
        genitive suboptimalen suboptimaler suboptimalen suboptimaler
        dative suboptimalem suboptimaler suboptimalem suboptimalen
        accusative suboptimalen suboptimale suboptimales suboptimale
        weak declension
        (with definite article)         		nominative der suboptimale die suboptimale das suboptimale die suboptimalen
        genitive des suboptimalen der suboptimalen des suboptimalen der suboptimalen
        dative dem suboptimalen der suboptimalen dem suboptimalen den suboptimalen
        accusative den suboptimalen die suboptimale das suboptimale die suboptimalen
        mixed declension
        (with indefinite article)         		nominative ein suboptimaler eine suboptimale ein suboptimales (keine) suboptimalen
        genitive eines suboptimalen einer suboptimalen eines suboptimalen (keiner) suboptimalen
        dative einem suboptimalen einer suboptimalen einem suboptimalen (keinen) suboptimalen
        accusative einen suboptimalen eine suboptimale ein suboptimales (keine) suboptimalen

        Further reading

        • “suboptimal”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German)
        • “suboptimal” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
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