least · Contextualize

Etymology

The adjective, determiner, and noun are derived from Middle English leste, lest, last (“(adjective) smallest, least; (noun) smallest thing, etc.; person or thing least in importance; etc.”), from Old English lǣst, a contraction of læsast, læsest (“least”) (also lærest in only one source), from Proto-Germanic *laisistaz (“smallest, least”), from *laisiz (“less”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂is- or *leh₃is-; whence modern English less) + *-istaz (“suffix forming superlative forms of some adjectives”). The adverb and pronoun are derived from the adjective or determiner. cognates * Old Frisian leist * Old Saxon lēs

inherited from *leh₂is-✻
inherited from *laisistaz✻ — “smallest, least”
inherited from lǣst
inherited from leste

Definitions

1
Chiefly preceded by the
Chiefly preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little.
- least common multiple
- Of two ils chose the least, while choise lyeth in lot.
2
In a degree below all others
In a degree below all others; in the lowest or smallest degree.
- My best routine was the one I had practised the least.
- I don’t much like housework, and doing the dishes least of all.
- That decision rewards those who least deserve it.
3
Used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the…
Used to form superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
- It was the least surprising thing.
›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer
1. 4
  Preceded by the
  Preceded by the: superlative form of little: most little; the lowest-ranking or most insignificant person or (sometimes) group of people.
  - even the least of
  - The pastor preached that even the least of God’s creatures deserves freedom from needless or idle cruelty.
  - Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.
2. Something of the smallest possible extent
  Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit; a minimum.
3. 6
  At least.
  - “Why he took and dipped his hand in a rotten stump where the rain water was.” “In the day time?” “Certainly.” “With his face to the stump?” “Yes. Least I reckon so.”
  - What a stupid white privileged POS I am! Least I call myself out.

The neighborhood

Derived

Antigua least gecko, at very least, Fermat's principle of least time, least auklet, least bittern, least boobook, least common denominator, least common multiple, least count, least finger, least flycatcher, least resistance, least sandpiper, least shrew, least significant bit, least significant byte, least squares, least tern, least upper bound, least weasel, least willow, line of least resistance, log-linear least-squares method, method of least squares, path of least resistance, principle of least action, principle of least astonishment, principle of least knowledge, principle of least surprise, principle of least time, alderleast, at least, at the least, at the very least, in the least, last but not least, leastness, least of all, leastwise, least worst · +3 more

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at least. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

A definitional loop anchored at least. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at least

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.