paramount
Meaning
more important than anything else; supreme
having supreme power; highest in rank or authority
Structure
Usage
safety is of paramount importance in this laboratory.
the board has paramount authority over all financial decisions.
in any negotiation, trust is a paramount consideration.
Etymology
the word 'paramount' entered english in the late middle english period via anglo-french 'paramont', meaning "above". it originates from the old french phrase 'par amont', which itself derives from the latin 'per ad montem', literally translating to "up to the mountain". the core imagery is of something situated at the top of a mountain, symbolizing the highest position. over time, this literal sense of physical superiority evolved into the modern abstract meanings of supreme importance or highest authority, capturing the concept of being above all others.
Analysis
- para: from old french 'par', from latin 'per', meaning "through, by, by means of". in this compound, it is from the latin phrase 'per ad montem', meaning "up the mountain", where 'per' took on the sense of "above". - mount: from old french 'mont', from latin 'montem' (nominative 'mons'), meaning "mountain".