optimal

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Both words entered the language in the late 19th century and are used in the meaning 'best or most favourable (in given circumstances)' and therefore mean rather more than simply 'best':

He positioned himself so that he had optimum sight lines down the side street—I. Melchior, 1975

Pursuing policies that would be optimal in a first-class world when one actually lives in a...third-best world can be highly inefficient—Dædalus, 1979.

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adjective

Surpassing all others in quality: best, optimum, superlative, unsurpassed. See better/worse.

(op′timəl)
adj

The best or most favorable.

See words rhyming with "optimal."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - optimal, optimum, gunstigst muligt

Nederlands (Dutch)
optimaal

Français (French)
adj. - optimal

Deutsch (German)
adj. - optimal

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - βέλτιστος, (ο) καλύτερος δυνατός

Italiano (Italian)
ottimale

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - ótimo

Русский (Russian)
оптимальный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - óptimo, inmejorable

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - optimal

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
最佳的, 最理想的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 最佳的, 最理想的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 최선의, 최적의

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 最善の

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) الأفضل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מיטבי, הטוב ביותר, אופטימלי‬