Editing Suppletion (section)

=== Good and bad ===
In [[Germanic languages|Germanic]], [[Romance languages|Romance]] (except [[Romanian language|Romanian]]), [[Celtic languages|Celtic]], [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] (except [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] and [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]]), and [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] languages, the [[grammatical comparative|comparative]] and [[grammatical superlative|superlative]] of the adjective "good" is suppletive; in many of these languages the adjective "bad" is also suppletive.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+ good, better, best
|-
! Language !! Adjective !! Etymology !! Comparative !! Superlative !! Etymology
|-
! colspan="6" | Germanic languages
|-
! [[English language|English]]
|good
| rowspan="9" |[[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]]: {{wikt-lang|gem-x-proto|*gōdaz}}<ref name="godaz">Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic root {{wikt-lang|gem-x-proto|*gōdaz}}</ref>
* {{langx|ang|gōd}}
* {{langx|goh|guot}}
* {{langx|odt|*guot}}
* {{langx|non|góðr}}
cognate to {{langx|sa-Latn|gadhya||what one clings to}}
|better
|best
| rowspan="9" |Proto-Germanic: {{wikt-lang|gem-x-proto|*batizô}}<ref name="godaz" />
* {{langx|ang|betera}}
* cognate to OE {{lang|ang|bōt}} "remedy" 
cognate to {{langx|sa|bhadra}} "fortunate"
|-
! [[Danish language|Danish]]
| {{lang|da|god}}
| {{lang|da|bedre}}
| {{lang|da|bedst}}
|-
! [[German language|German]]
| {{lang|de|gut}}
| {{lang|de|besser}}
| {{lang|de|besten}}
|-
! [[Faroese language|Faroese]]
| {{lang|fo|góður}}
| {{lang|fo|betri}}
| {{lang|fo|bestur}}
|-
! [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]
| {{lang|is|góður}}
| {{lang|is|betri}}
| {{lang|is|bestur}}
|-
! [[Dutch language|Dutch]]
| {{lang|nl|goed}}
| {{lang|nl|beter}}
| {{lang|nl|best}}
|-
! [[Norwegian Bokmal|Norwegian Bokmål]]
| {{lang|no|god}}
| {{lang|no|bedre}}
| {{lang|no|best}}
|-
![[Norwegian Nynorsk]]
|''god''
|''betre''
|''best''
|-
! [[Swedish language|Swedish]]
| {{lang|sv|god}}
| {{lang|sv|bättre}}
| {{lang|sv|bäst}}
|-
! colspan="6" | Romance languages
|-
! [[French language|French]]
| {{lang|fr|bon}}
| rowspan="5" | {{langx|la|bonus}}
from [[Old Latin]]: {{lang|la|duenos}}
* cognate to {{langx|sa-Latn|duva}} "reverence"
| colspan="2" | {{lang|fr|meilleur}}
| rowspan="5" | {{plainlist|
* {{langx|la|melior}}
* cognate to Latin {{lang|la|multus}} "many"
* cognate to {{langx|grc|μάλα|mala|very}}
}}
|-
! [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| {{lang|pt|bom}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|pt|melhor}}
|-
! [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| {{lang|es|bueno}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|es|mejor}}
|-
! [[Catalan language|Catalan]]
| {{lang|ca|bo}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|millor}}
|-
! [[Italian language|Italian]]
| {{lang|it|buono}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|it|migliore}}
|-
! colspan="6" | Celtic languages
|-
! [[Scottish Gaelic]]
| {{lang|gd|math}}
| rowspan="3" | [[Proto-Celtic]]: {{lang|cel-x-proto|*matis}}
from [[Proto-Indo-European]]: ''*{{PIE|meh₂-}}'' "ripen", "mature"
| colspan="2" | {{lang|gd|feàrr}}
| rowspan="2" | Proto-Celtic {{lang|cel-x-proto|*werros}}
from Proto-Indo-European: ''*{{PIE|wers-}}'' "peak"
|-
! [[Irish language|Irish]]
| {{lang|ga|maith}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|ga|fearr}}
|-
! [[Breton language|Breton]]
| {{lang|br|mat}}
| {{lang|br|gwell}}, {{lang|br|gwelloc'h}} (1)
| {{lang|br|gwellañ}} (1)
| rowspan="2" | {{plainlist|
* (1) Proto-Celtic: {{lang|cel-x-proto|*u̯el-no-}}
* (2) Proto-Celtic {{lang|cel-x-proto|*u̯or-gous-on}}
}}
|-
! [[Welsh language|Welsh]]
| {{lang|cy|da}}
| Proto-Celtic: {{lang|cel-x-proto|*dagos}} "good", "well"
|| {{lang|cy|gwell}} (1)
| {{lang|cy|gorau}} (2) 
|-
! colspan="6" | Slavic languages
|-
! [[Polish language|Polish]]
| {{lang|pl|dobry}}
| rowspan="6" | Proto-Slavic: ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*dobrъ}}''
| {{lang|pl|lepszy}}
| {{lang|pl|najlepszy}}
| rowspan="4" | Proto-Indo-European ''*{{PIE|lep-}}'', ''*{{PIE|lēp-}}'' "behoof", "boot", "good"
|-
! [[Czech language|Czech]]
| {{lang|cs|dobrý}}
| {{lang|cs|lepší}}
| {{lang|cs|nejlepší}}
|-
! [[Slovak language|Slovak]]
| {{lang|sk|dobrý}}
| {{lang|sk|lepší}}
| {{lang|sk|najlepší}}
|-
! [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]
| {{lang|uk|добрий}}
| {{lang|uk|ліпший}}
| {{lang|uk|найліпший}}
|-
! [[Serbo-Croatian language|Serbo-Croatian]]
| {{lang|sh|dobar}}
| {{lang|sh|bolji}}
| {{lang|sh|najbolji}}
| rowspan="2" | Proto-Slavic: ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*boľьjь}}'' "bigger"
|-
! [[Slovene language|Slovene]]
| {{lang|sl|dober}}
| {{lang|sl|boljši}}
| {{lang|sl|najboljši}}
|-
! [[Russian language|Russian]]
| {{langx|ru|хороший|khoroshiy|label=none}}
| probably from Proto-Slavic: ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*xorъ}}''<ref name="Vasmer">[[Max Vasmer]], Russisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch</ref>
| {{langx|ru|лучше|luchshe|label=none}}  
| {{langx|ru|(наи)лучший|(nai)luchshiy|label=none}}
| Old Russian {{lang|orv|лучии}}, neut. {{lang|orv|луче}}
Old Church Slavonic: {{lang|cu|лоучии}} "more suitable, appropriate"<ref name="Vasmer" />
|-
! colspan="6" | Indo-Iranian languages
|-
! [[Persian language|Persian]]
| {{langx|fa|خوب|khūb|label=none}} {{IPA|[xʊb]}}{{efn|Poetic {{langx|fa|به|beh|label=none}}}}
| probably cognate of Proto-Slavic ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*xorъ}}'' (above). Not a satisfactory etymology for {{lang|peo-Latn|beh}}; but see comparative and superlative forms in comparison to Germanic
| {{langx|fa|خوبتر|xūb-tar|label=none}} or {{langx|fa|بِهْتَر|beh-tar|label=none}}{{efn|The superlative of {{lang|peo-Latn|beh-}} 'good' in [[Old Persian|Ancient Persian]] is {{lang|peo-Latn|beh-ist}} which has evolved to {{langx|fa|بهشت|behešt|label=none}} "paradise" in Modern Persian.}}
| {{langx|fa|خوبترین|xūb-tarīn|label=none}} or {{langx|fa|بِهْتَرين|beh-tarīn|label=none}}
| From Proto-Indo-Iranian ''*Hwásuš'' "good". Not a cognate of the Germanic forms above.
|-
! colspan="6" | Non-Indo-European languages
|-
![[Georgian language|Georgian]]
|კარგი, k'argi [kʼaɾgi].
|possibly an [[Iranian languages|Iranian]] borrowing via Old Armenian {{wikt-lang|xcl|կարգ}} (karg, “order”).
|უკეთესი, uk'etesi [uk'e̞tʰe̞si].
|საუკეთესო, sauk'eteso [sauk'e̞tʰe̞so̞].
|From Proto-Georgian-Zan *ḳet- “to add, mix”.
|}
{{notelist}}
The comparison of "good" is also suppletive in {{langx|et|hea}} → {{lang|et|parem}}  → {{lang|et|parim}} and {{langx|fi|hyvä}} → {{lang|fi|parempi}} → {{lang|fi|paras}}.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|
|+ bad, worse, worst
! Language
! Adjective
! Etymology
! Comparative 
! Superlative
! Etymology
|-
! colspan="6" | Germanic languages
|-
! [[English language|English]]
| bad
| Uncertain, possibly from OE {{lang|ang|bæddel}} ("[[effeminate]] man, [[hermaphrodite]], [[pederast]]"),<ref>{{cite web |last=Harper |first=Douglas |date= |title=Etymology of ''bad''|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/bad |website=[[Etymonline|Online Etymology Dictionary]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=2025-03-08}}</ref> related to OE {{lang|ang|bædan}} ("to defile") < Proto-Germanic {{lang|gem-x-proto|*baidijaną}} ("constrain, cause to stay")<br /><small>In OE {{lang|ang|yfel}} was more common, compare [[Proto-Germanic]] {{lang|gem-x-proto|*ubilaz}}, [[Gothic language|Gothic]] {{lang|got-Latn|ubils}} (bad), German {{lang|de|übel}} (evil / bad), English ''evil''</small>
| worse 
| worst 
| rowspan="8" |From Proto-Germanic ''*wirsizô, *wirsistaz''.
|-
! [[Old Norse]]
| {{lang|non|vándr}}
| rowspan="7" |From Proto-Germanic ''*wanh-''.
| {{lang|non|verri}}
| {{lang|non|verstr}}
|-
! [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]
| {{lang|is|vondur}}
| {{lang|is|verri}}
| {{lang|is|verstur}}
|-
! [[Faroese language|Faroese]]
| {{lang|fo|óndur}}
| {{lang|fo|verri}}
| {{lang|fo|verstur}}
|-
! [[Norwegian Bokmål]]
| {{lang|no|ond}}, {{lang|no|vond}}
| {{lang|no|verre}}
| {{lang|no|verst(e)}}
|-
![[Norwegian Nynorsk]]
|''vond''
|''verre''
|''verst(e)''
|-
! [[Swedish language|Swedish]]
| {{lang|sv|ond}}
| {{lang|sv|värre}}
| {{lang|sv|värst}}
|-
! [[Danish language|Danish]]
| {{lang|da|ond}}
| {{lang|da|værre}}
| {{lang|da|værst}}
|-
! colspan="6" | Romance languages
|-
! [[French language|French]]
| {{lang|fr|mal}}{{efn|name="bad-worse-worst-romance1"|These are adverbial forms ("badly"); the Italian adjective is itself suppletive ({{lang|it|cattivo}}, from the same root as "captive", respectively) whereas the French {{lang|fr|mauvais}} is compound ({{lang|la|malifātius}} < {{lang|la|malus}}+{{lang|la|fatum}}).}}
| rowspan="5" | {{langx|la|malus}}
| colspan="2" | {{lang|fr| pire }}
| rowspan="5" | {{langx|la|peior}}, cognate to Sanskrit {{lang|sa-Latn|padyate}} "he falls"
|-
! [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| {{lang|pt|mau}}
|colspan="2" | {{lang|pt|pior}}
|-
! [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
| {{lang|es|malo}}
|colspan="2" | {{lang|es|peor}}
|-
! [[Catalan language|Catalan]]
| {{lang|ca|mal}}{{efn|{{lang|ca|Mal}} is used in Catalan before nouns, the form after nouns ({{lang|ca|dolent}}) is also suppletive (< Latin {{lang|la|dolente}} "painful").}}
|colspan="2" | {{lang|ca|pitjor}}
|-
! [[Italian language|Italian]]
| {{lang|it|male}}{{efn|name="bad-worse-worst-romance1"}}
|colspan="2" | {{lang|it|peggiore}}
|-
! colspan="6" | Celtic languages
|-
! [[Scottish Gaelic]]
| {{lang|gd|droch }}
| rowspan="3" | Proto-Celtic {{lang|cel-x-proto|*drukos}} ("bad") < (possibly) PIE *''{{PIE|dʰrewgʰ-}}'' ("to deceive") 
| colspan="2" |{{lang|gd|miosa}}
| rowspan="2" | Proto-Celtic {{lang|cel-x-proto|*missos}} < PIE ''*{{PIE|mey}}''- ("to change")
|-
! [[Irish language|Irish]]
| {{lang|ga|droch}}
|colspan="2" | {{lang|ga|measa}}
|-
! [[Welsh language|Welsh]]
| {{lang|cy|drwg}}
| {{lang|cy|gwaeth}}
| {{lang|cy|gwaethaf}}
| Proto-Celtic {{lang|cel-x-proto|*waxtisamos}} ("worst")
|-
! colspan="6" | Slavic languages
|-
! [[Polish language|Polish]]
| {{lang|pl|zły}}
| rowspan="5" | Proto-Slavic ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*zъlъ}}''
| {{lang|pl|gorszy}}
| {{lang|pl|najgorszy}}
| rowspan="5"| compare Polish {{lang|pl|gorszyć}} (''to disgust, scandalise'')
|-
! [[Czech language|Czech]]
| {{lang|cs|zlý&nbsp;(špatný)}}
| {{lang|cs|horší}}
| {{lang|cs|nejhorší}}
|-
! [[Slovak language|Slovak]]
| {{lang|sk|zlý}}
| {{lang|sk|horší}}
| {{lang|sk|najhorší}}
|-
! [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]
| ''archaic''&nbsp;{{lang|uk|злий}}
| {{lang|uk|гірший}}
| {{lang|uk|найгірший}}
|-
! [[Serbo-Croatian language|Serbo-Croatian]]
| {{lang|sh|zao}}
| {{lang|sh|gori}}
| {{lang|sh|najgori}}
|-
! [[Russian language|Russian]]
| {{lang|ru|плохой}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|plokhoy}}) 
| probably Proto-Slavic ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*polxъ}}''<ref name="Vasmer" /> 
| {{lang|ru|хуже}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|khuzhe}}) 
| {{lang|ru|(наи)худший}} ({{lang|ru-Latn|(nai)khudshiy}})
| Old Church Slavonic {{lang|cu|хоудъ}}, Proto-Slavic ''{{wikt-lang|sla-pro|*xudъ}}'' ("bad", "small")<ref name="Vasmer" />
|}
{{notelist}}
Similarly to the Italian noted above, the English adverb form of "good" is the unrelated word "well", from Old English {{lang|ang|wel}}, cognate to {{lang|ang|wyllan}} "to wish".