Comparison of Adjectives (Forms): Latin Grammar

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GrammarComparison of Adjectives (Forms)

Comparison of Adjectives (Forms)

A&G §123–131|10 rules|0 practice questions

Latin adjectives come in three grades, just like English: positive altus (tall), comparative altior (taller), superlative altissimus (tallest). Once you know the recipe, you can build the grades for almost any adjective from its stem.

The default rule is -ior / -issimus on the stem. Three families bend that rule with their own endings — -er adjectives double the r (pulcher → pulcherrimus), six -ilis adjectives use -limus (facilis → facillimus), and a handful of common adjectives go fully irregular by suppletion (bonus → melior, optimus; magnus → maior, maximus).

A few adjectives can't take the suffix at all and use magis / maximē instead.

This page is the form-side reference. For what altior and altissimus MEAN in context (the absolute superlative, quam + sup., etc.), see comparatives-and-superlatives.

Learnings0 core · 2 AP claims

AP framework claims (2)— verbatim from AP CED

GRAM-3.BSuperlative adjectives show the highest degree of the word and are often translated "____est" or "very ____." The superlative degree of an adjective is indicated by its stem.

GRAM-3.CComparative adjectives show a comparison between two words and are often translated "____er," "more ____," or "rather ____." The comparative degree of an adjective is indicated by its stem.

Pattern

defaultstem + -ior (n. -ius) / stem + -issimus, -a, -um

-er adj.nom. + -rimus (e.g. pulcher → pulcherrimus)

-ilis (×6)stem (drop -i) + -limus (e.g. facilis → facillimus)

irregularbonus, malus, magnus, parvus, multus (suppletion)

analyticmagis / maximē + positive (vowel-i/-e + -us adj.)

Comparison Recipe

Five recipes cover every adjective: one default, three sub-rules by ending, one analytic fallback.

The comparative is always built on the positive stem — only the superlative changes shape across the families.

altus, -a, -um — tall (default rule)

Case	Positive	Comparative	Superlative	Use
M.	alt-us	alt-ior	alt-issimus	drop final stem vowel, add suffix
F.	alt-a	alt-ior	alt-issima	comparative is m./f. shared
N.	alt-um	alt-ius	alt-issimum	neuter comparative ends in -ius

pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum — beautiful (-er rule)

Case	Positive	Comparative	Superlative	Use
M.	pulcher	pulchrior	pulcherrimus	superlative built on the nom. sg., not the stem
F.	pulchra	pulchrior	pulcherrima
N.	pulchrum	pulchrius	pulcherrimum

ācer, ācris, ācre — keen (-er rule, 3rd decl.)

Case	Positive	Comparative	Superlative	Use
M.	ācer	ācrior	ācerrimus	same -rimus rule applies to 3rd-decl. -er adjectives
F.	ācris	ācrior	ācerrima
N.	ācre	ācrius	ācerrimum

facilis, -e — easy (the six -lis adjectives)

Case	Positive	Comparative	Superlative	Use
M./F.	facilis	facilior	facillimus	comparative regular; superlative drops -i- and adds -limus
N.	facile	facilius	facillimum

Irregular comparison (suppletion) — five core families

Case	Positive	Comparative	Superlative	Use
good	bonus	melior, melius	optimus, -a, -um	different roots — must be memorized
bad	malus	peior, peius	pessimus, -a, -um
great	magnus	maior, maius	maximus, -a, -um
small	parvus	minor, minus	minimus, -a, -um
much	multus	plūs (n. only, sg.)	plūrimus, -a, -um	comparative sg. is neuter noun ("more of X")
many (pl.)	multī, -ae, -a	plūrēs, plūra	plūrimī, -ae, -a	the plural behaves like a normal adjective

melior, melius — comparative declension (3rd-decl. consonant stem, two terminations)

Case	Sg. M./F.	Sg. N.	Pl. M./F.	Pl. N.	Use
Nom.	melior	melius	meliōrēs	meliōra	neuter sg. ends in -ius, neuter pl. in -a
Gen.	meliōris	meliōris	meliōrum	meliōrum
Dat.	meliōrī	meliōrī	meliōribus	meliōribus
Acc.	meliōrem	melius	meliōrēs (-īs)	meliōra	neuter sg. acc. = nom. (rule of neuter)
Abl.	meliōre (-ī)	meliōre (-ī)	meliōribus	meliōribus	abl. sg. usually -e, not -ī (unlike i-stem adjectives)

plūs — irregular comparative of multus

Case	Sg. N. (noun)	Pl. M./F.	Pl. N.	Use
Nom.	plūs	plūrēs	plūra	singular is a neuter NOUN, not an adjective
Gen.	plūris	plūrium	plūrium	i-stem in the plural
Dat.	—	plūribus	plūribus	no classical dative singular
Acc.	plūs	plūrēs (-īs)	plūra
Abl.	plūre	plūribus	plūribus

How to Build the Comparative and Superlative

Default rule (most adjectives)

cārus → cārior, cārissimus (dear)

critical

3rd-decl. positives — same default

fortis → fortior, fortissimus (brave)

critical

Adjectives in -er — superlative -rimus

pulcher → pulchrior, pulcherrimus (beautiful)

important

3rd-decl. -er — same -rimus rule

ācer → ācrior, ācerrimus (keen)

important

Six -ilis adjectives — superlative -limus

facilis, difficilis, similis, dissimilis, gracilis, humilis → facillimus, etc.

important

Compounds in -dicus, -volus, -ficus

maledicus → maledīcentior, maledīcentissimus (slanderous)

rare

Analytic — magis / maximē + positive

idōneus → magis idōneus, maximē idōneus (fit)

common

Irregular by suppletion — five core families

bonus / melior / optimus; magnus / maior / maximus

critical

Defective — comparative or superlative only

ōcior, ōcissimus (swifter, swiftest); prior, prīmus (former, first)

common

From prepositional/adverbial stems

interior, intimus (inner, inmost); ulterior, ultimus (farther, farthest)

common

No comparison possible (absolute meaning)

aureus (golden), novus (new), pius (dutiful) — no comparative

rare

See It In Action

Hōrum omnium fortissimī sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultū atque hūmānitāte prōvinciae longissimē absunt.

Of all these the bravest are the Belgae, because they are the farthest removed from the culture and refinement of the Province.

— B. G. i. 1. 3

fortissimī is the default -issimus rule on fortis (stem forti-, drop -i); longissimē is the same suffix turned adverb. Caesar's opening paragraph drills both shapes back-to-back.

Apud Helvētiōs longē nōbilissimus fuit et dītissimus Orgetorīx.

Among the Helvetii by far the most distinguished and the wealthiest man was Orgetorix.

— B. G. i. 2. 1

Two superlatives in a row, both built by the default -issimus rule on third-declension positives (nōbilis, dīves). Notice that the longē ("by far") is a typical Latin intensifier of the superlative.

ab oppidō Bibracte, oppidō Haeduōrum longē maximō et cōpiōsissimō.

from the town Bibracte, by far the largest and most well-supplied town of the Haedui.

— B. G. i. 23. 1

maximō (irregular, from magnus) sits beside cōpiōsissimō (regular -issimus) — same case, same role, completely different recipes. This is the irregular family's signature: it shows up in the wild next to the regular pattern.

Reading Each Grade in Context

positive

the basic adjective — "X is tall"

Belgae fortēs sunt — the Belgae are brave

comparative

"more X / X-er" OR "rather X / too X" (depending on context)

Belgae fortiōrēs sunt — the Belgae are braver / rather brave

superlative (relative)

"the most X / the X-est" (within a group)

Belgae fortissimī sunt — the Belgae are the bravest

superlative (absolute)

"very X / extremely X" (no group, just intensification)

vir fortissimus — a very brave man

-issimus default vs. -rimus / -limus sub-rules

Three superlative endings, one underlying logic — the SHAPE of the positive tells you which one to pick.

Default (-issimus)

stem + -issimus on most adjectives

altus → altissimus

tall → tallest

Sub-rule (-rimus / -limus)

-er adjectives double the r; six -ilis adjectives use -limus

pulcher → pulcherrimus; facilis → facillimus

beautiful → most beautiful; easy → easiest

Tip: Look at the positive first. Ends in -er? Take the nominative whole and add -rimus. Is it one of the six -ilis adjectives? Drop the -i- and add -limus. Anything else: default -issimus on the stem.

Quick Check

humilis ("low, humble") is one of the six -ilis adjectives. What is its superlative?

Study Tips

•Memorize the default -ior / -issimus recipe first — most adjectives you meet will follow it. Drill stem-extraction (drop the final vowel of the positive stem) before drilling the suffixes.
•Lock down the five irregular families (bonus, malus, magnus, parvus, multus) as a single block — they're the highest-frequency adjectives in the corpus and they're the ones you'll actually meet in Caesar and Cicero.
•When you see a superlative ending in -rimus or -limus, look at the positive: -er adjectives → -rimus, -ilis adjectives (one of six) → -limus. The shape of the positive predicts the shape of the superlative.

Learnings0 core · 2 AP claims

AP framework claims (2)— verbatim from AP CED

GRAM-3.BSuperlative adjectives show the highest degree of the word and are often translated "____est" or "very ____." The superlative degree of an adjective is indicated by its stem.

GRAM-3.CComparative adjectives show a comparison between two words and are often translated "____er," "more ____," or "rather ____." The comparative degree of an adjective is indicated by its stem.

Case

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

alt-us

alt-ior

alt-issimus

alt-a

alt-ior

alt-issima

alt-um

alt-ius

alt-issimum

Case

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

pulcher

pulchrior

pulcherrimus

pulchra

pulchrior

pulcherrima

pulchrum

pulchrius

pulcherrimum

Case

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

ācer

ācrior

ācerrimus

ācris

ācrior

ācerrima

ācre

ācrius

ācerrimum

Case

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

M./F.

facilis

facilior

facillimus

facile

facilius

facillimum

Case

Positive

Comparative

Superlative

good

bonus

melior, melius

optimus, -a, -um

bad

malus

peior, peius

pessimus, -a, -um

great

magnus

maior, maius

maximus, -a, -um

small

parvus

minor, minus

minimus, -a, -um

much

multus

plūs (n. only, sg.)

plūrimus, -a, -um

many (pl.)

multī, -ae, -a

plūrēs, plūra

plūrimī, -ae, -a

Case

Sg. M./F.

Sg. N.

Pl. M./F.

Pl. N.

Nom.

melior

melius

meliōrēs

meliōra

Gen.

meliōris

meliōrum

Dat.

meliōrī

meliōribus

Acc.

meliōrem

melius

meliōrēs (-īs)

meliōra

Abl.

meliōre (-ī)

meliōribus

Case

Sg. N. (noun)

Pl. M./F.

Pl. N.

Nom.

plūs

plūrēs

plūra

Gen.

plūris

plūrium

Dat.

—

plūribus

Acc.

plūs

plūrēs (-īs)

plūra

Abl.

plūre

plūribus

See It In Action

Hōrum omnium fortissimī sunt Belgae, propterea quod a cultū atque hūmānitāte prōvinciae longissimē absunt.

Of all these the bravest are the Belgae, because they are the farthest removed from the culture and refinement of the Province.

— B. G. i. 1. 3

fortissimī is the default -issimus rule on fortis (stem forti-, drop -i); longissimē is the same suffix turned adverb. Caesar's opening paragraph drills both shapes back-to-back.

Apud Helvētiōs longē nōbilissimus fuit et dītissimus Orgetorīx.

Among the Helvetii by far the most distinguished and the wealthiest man was Orgetorix.

— B. G. i. 2. 1

ab oppidō Bibracte, oppidō Haeduōrum longē maximō et cōpiōsissimō.

from the town Bibracte, by far the largest and most well-supplied town of the Haedui.

— B. G. i. 23. 1

Study Tips

•Memorize the default -ior / -issimus recipe first — most adjectives you meet will follow it. Drill stem-extraction (drop the final vowel of the positive stem) before drilling the suffixes.

•Lock down the five irregular families (bonus, malus, magnus, parvus, multus) as a single block — they're the highest-frequency adjectives in the corpus and they're the ones you'll actually meet in Caesar and Cicero.

•When you see a superlative ending in -rimus or -limus, look at the positive: -er adjectives → -rimus, -ilis adjectives (one of six) → -limus. The shape of the positive predicts the shape of the superlative.