different between optimal vs option

English

Etymology

From the Latin optimus +? -al.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??pt?m?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??pt?m?l/

Adjective

optimal (not comparable)

1. The best, most favourable or desirable, especially under some restriction.

   Finding the optimal balance between features and price is a common problem.

2. (artificial intelligence) Describing a search algorithm that always returns the best result.

Synonyms

• best, ideal, optimum

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Related terms

• suboptimal

Noun

optimal (plural optimals)

1. The best of its kind

French

Etymology

From the Latin optimum suffixed with -al.

Adjective

optimal (feminine singular optimale, masculine plural optimaux, feminine plural optimales)

1. optimal

Further reading

• “optimal” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pti?ma?l/
• Rhymes: -a?l

Adjective

optimal (comparative optimaler, superlative am optimalsten)

1. optimal (perfect)
2. optimal (as good as possible under a given condition)
3. very good

Usage notes

The comparation forms are considered incorrect by some prescriptivists, and are widely restricted to less formal usage.

Declension

Further reading

• “optimal” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

From French optimal

Adjective

optimal m or n (feminine singular optimal?, masculine plural optimali, feminine and neuter plural optimale)

1. optimal

Declension

English

Etymology

From French option, from Latin opti? (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from opt? (“I choose, select”). Equivalent to opt +? -ion.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p??n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??p??n/

Noun

option (plural options)

1. One of a set of choices that can be made. [from the 19th c.]
2. The freedom or right to choose.
3. (finance, law) A contract giving the holder the right to buy or sell an asset at a set strike price; can apply to financial market transactions, or to ordinary transactions for tangible assets such as a residence or automobile. [from the mid-18th c.]

Synonyms

• alternative
• choice
• possibility
• See also Thesaurus:option

Hypernyms

• (finance) (A contract giving the holder the right to buy or sell an asset): derivative

Hyponyms

• (finance) (A contract giving the holder the right to buy or sell an asset): American option, Bermudan option, European option, call option or call, put option or put, warrant

Derived terms

• optionable
• optional
• option button
• stock option

Related terms

• opt
• optimal
• optimise, optimize
• optimism
• optimist
• optimistic

Translations

Verb

option (third-person singular simple present options, present participle optioning, simple past and past participle optioned)

1. To purchase an option on something. [from the 20th c]

   The new novel was optioned by the film studio, but they'll probably never decide to make a movie from it.

2. (computing, dated) To configure, by setting an option.
   • 1991, Martin D. Seyer, RS-232 made easy

     The device that is to echo the characters should be optioned for echoplexing.

Further reading

• option in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• option in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• potion

Finnish

Noun

option

1. Genitive singular form of optio.

Anagrams

• opinto, opinto-

French

Etymology

From Latin opti? (“choice; option; act of choosing”), from opt? (“I choose, select”).

Pronunciation

Noun

option f (plural options)

1. option

Further reading

• “option” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).