Optimal And Optimal both mean “best or most effective”, as in “plant grows tall under optimal conditions” and “for optimal results, let paint dry overnight.” You can consider the adjective optimal or optimal for your purposes depending on your preference or liking. Optimal can also be used as a noun to mean “the amount or extent of something that is best or most efficient, as in “substances that are mixed in different proportions until the ratio is reached.” optimal rate.”
Back in the mid-19th century, it seems that the need for a word arose and Optimal appear to fill the void. The scientists themselves felt the lack of this word, so they naturally withdrew it from Latin without changing a thing: in Latin it is the neuter of optimisticmeans “best.”
When we want a noun, we use ‘optimum’, but when we want an adjective, we use …either?
Scientists used Optimal as a noun, referring primarily to the conditions most favorable for the growth and reproduction of an organism, as in “optimal soil conditions.” The noun catches up and eventually is expanded to refer to both “the amount or extent of something that is most favorable for a certain purpose” and “the greatest extent achieved or achievable under the conditions of implied or specific.”
However, only a few decades after the noun came into existence, the word also began to be applied as an adjective. And at the same time, a synonym and related adjective—Optimal— is set forth. Which brings us to the present situation: when we want a noun, we use Optimalbut when we want an adjective, we use …either?
Let’s see what’s happening in the world with these two:
In fact, some exoplanets, completely different from our own, may have a much higher chance of forming and maintaining a sustainable biosphere. These super-habitable worlds could be the ultimate target in the search for extraterrestrial, extrasolar life. — Rene Heller, American ScienceJanuary 2015
Generating and scrutinizing counterfactuals (often referred to as “what if”) is an optimal way to test and refine one’s behavior. —David Eagleman, New York Times book reviewAugust 5, 2012
Here’s what big brands know your upstart can fall short of: for optimal success, your employees must not only be the right representatives of your brand’s key attributes. but also to represent the brand of the company. —Cheryl Conner, ForbesNovember 23, 2014
In the late 1980s, David Barker, a British doctor, suggested that what a woman eats during pregnancy affects the physiology of the child throughout life. He called the idea fetal programming. Such programming would allow an individual to make optimal use of available nutrients, assuming that his own diet would be similar to that of his mother. — economistNovember 13, 2010
Inside there are two configurable 8-inch “infotainment” screens and a choice of two seats: one for optimal comfort, the other a “competitive sport” option with side cushions to keep the rider steady during difficult cornering. —Jim Mateja, Chicago CourtFebruary 8, 2013
Pasteurized Camembert has a wider time to reach optimum flavor (50 to 60 days) and overall consumption (40 to 70 days). Some manufacturers put an expiration date on the package so consumers know when the 70th day is coming—and when the cheese will taste best. — Sam Gugino, wine drinkerNovember 30, 2011
As you can see, both work well—although a look at different corpus shows that Optimal is the more popular choice.
Some people will say that you should enjoy the difference that the two forms provide and use Optimal just as a noun, and use Optimal for adjectives. English has several pairs that follow the same pattern: bacteria / bacteria, brain/brain, skull/skull, empire/empire. (Yes, we know we’re entering some nebulous territory with that last word.) But English also combats such distinctions with less technical words: nobody speaks. individual anymore; individual function as both a noun and an adjective.
Leave us this: Optimal And Optimal are both options when you want an adjective. Optimal seems a bit older, while Optimal is significantly more common. Use whatever you want.
Categories: Usage Notes
Source: vothisaucamau.edu.vn
