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optimal

SayOP-ti-muhl/ˈɑptɪməl/UK/ˈɒptɪməl/

3 meanings of optimal

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    The best possible, especially when there are limits on what you can do.

    Water the plants early in the morning for optimal growth.

    The coach worked out the optimal lineup for the final game.

    Similarbest, ideal, optimum

    Oppositesuboptimal

    Note
  2. 2
    adjective
    Used about a computer search method that always finds the best answer.

    The robot uses an optimal search, so it always finds the shortest way out of the maze.

    Our teacher showed that the second method is not optimal because it sometimes misses the best path.

    Oppositesuboptimal

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 3
    noun
    The best of its kind

Practice

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Origin

It comes from the Latin word optimus, with -al added.