What is the Latin word for best?

The usual Latin words for “best” are bonus, pulcher, iūcundus; also suāvis, laetus, excellēns. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“best” in Latin

bonusgood, honest, brave, noble, kind, pleasant; right; useful pulcherbeautiful, fair, pretty; noble, honorable, excellent iūcunduspleasant, agreeable, delightful, pleasing, delicious suāvissweet, pleasant, delicious laetushappy, cheerful, glad; fertile, luxuriant, lush, rich excellēnsdistinguished; excellent salūberhealthy, salubrious; salutary, beneficial; wholesome ūtilisuseful, serviceable, beneficial, profitable, advantageous; helpful; fit, suitable, adapted, proper flōsflower, blossom; the best kind or part of something; the prime; best state of things

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

best

optimus (generally); pulcherrimus (finest); jucundissimus, suavissimus (most agreeable); laetissimus (most joyful); excellentissimus, praestantissimus (most distinguished, most perfect); saluberrimus (most wholesome); comraodissimus (most suitable, convenient); utilissimus (most profitable). The best (of) meal, flos farinae. The best of the youth, flos (ac robur) juventutis. The best years (of life), flos aetatis, aetas florens. Things are not in the best state, haud laeta est rerum facies. To the best of my remembrance, ut nunc maxime memini, ut mea memoria est. To the best of my power, pro viribus; quantum in me situm est; ut potero. What think you, is best to be done? quid faciendum censes? They knew not what was best to do, nesciebant, quid praestaret. To do his best, summa ope anniti; omni ope atque opera eniti, ut, etc.; nihil inexpertum omittere. It is best for you to be silent, optime tacueris. To put the best construction upon, in meliorem (mitiorem) partem accipere or interpretari. To make the best of every thing, lucrum undecumque captare, utilitatem in omnibus rebus sectari. My best friend! optime! carissime! At best, summum, ad summum, cum plurimum.

Best, adv., optime, etc. Best of all (chiefly), potissime, potissimum. Best, beyond comparison, tam bene, ut nihil supra.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for best?: The usual Latin words for “best” are bonus, pulcher, iūcundus; also suāvis, laetus, excellēns. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.