πλεῖστος
Alt. πλεῖστος, η, ον
Etym. Sup. of πολύς
I. "most, largest", also "very much, very large", both of number and size, Hom., etc.; πλεῖστός εἰμι τῇ γνώμῃ I incline "most" to the opinion, Hdt.
2. with the Art., οἱ πλεῖστοι, much like οἱ πολλοί, "the greatest number", Thuc., etc.; τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ βίου "the greatest part" of life, Plat.; also ἡ πλ. τῆς στρατιᾶς Thuc.
II. Special usages: ὅσας ἂν πλείστας δύναιντο καταστρέφεσθαι "the greatest" number that they could "possibly" subdue, Hdt.; ὅτι πλ. Thuc., etc.:— εἷς ἀνὴρ πλεῖστον πόνον παρασχών the greatest of all men, Aesch.
III. Adverb. usages:— πλεῖστον, ῀ μάλιστα, "most", Il., attic; ὡς πλεῖστον, Lat. quam maxime, Xen.; sometimes added to a Sup., πλεῖστον ἐχθίστη, πλ. κάκιστος Soph.; so, πλεῖστα id=Soph.:— "furthest", Plat.
2. with the Art., τὸ πλ. "for the most part", Ar.
IV. with Preps.:
1. διὰ πλείστου "furthest off", in point of space or time, Thuc.
2. εἰς πλεῖστον "most", Soph.
3. ἐπὶ πλεῖστον "over the greatest distance, to the greatest extent", in point of space or time, Hdt., Thuc.; ὡς ἐπὶ πλ. or ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλ. "for the most part." Plat.; περὶ πλείστου ποιεῖσθαι, v. περί A. IV.
4. ἐν τοῖς πλεῖστοι or πλεῖσται "about the most", Thuc.