Lexical Definition

‎μάλιστα‎ málista (mal'-is-tah) especially ^G:ADV
neuter plural of the superlative of an apparently primary adverb (very)

chiefly, most of all, (e-)specially.

• (adverbially) most (in the greatest degree) or particularly

Abbott-Smith

μάλιστα, v.s. μάλα.

Liddell-Scott-Jones

Included with: μάλιστα [μᾰλᾰ;

but [Refs 8th c.BC+] sometimes uses the ultima long before λ, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; before μ, [Refs] adverb very, exceedingly, prefixed or subjoined to Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs:

__1 strengthening the word with which it stands,
__1.a with adjectives, in [μάλιστα πολλά">Refs 8th c.BC+] very many, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. πᾶσα, μ. πάντα, every one, all together, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μάλ᾽ ἀσκηθής all unhurt, [Refs]; ἀβληχρὸς μ. τοῖος quite gentle, [Refs]; σαρδάνιον μ. τοῖον a quite sardonic smile,[μάλιστα μυρίοι 15.556, 16.121, etc.">Refs]; ἐμέο πρότερος μ. actually before me, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; later, μ. φιλόσοφοι, πλάτανος μάλ᾽ ἀμφιλαφής, etc., [Refs 5th c.BC+] very old, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__1.b with Advs., πάγχυ μ., μ. πάγχυ, quite utterly, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; εὖ μ. right well, [μάλιστα.. εὖ 8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 23.175, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Theaetetus” 156a ">Refs 8th c.BC+]; μάλ᾽ αὐτίκα (see. αὐτίκα); μάλ᾽ αἰεί for ever and aye, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἄχρι μ. κνέφαος until quite dark, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μάλ᾽ ὧδε just in this way, [Refs]; μ. διαμπερές right through, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. μόλις (see. μόλις); to express repeated action, μάλ᾽ αὖθις [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. alone, ἔα, ἔα μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__1.c with Verbs, μήτ᾽ ἄρ με μάλ᾽ αἴνεε [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἡ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἡνιόχευεν drove carefully, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ... προπέμπει in earnest, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 strengthening an assertion, νῦν σε μ. χρὴ αἰχμητὴν ἔμεναι, i.e. now or never, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τῷ κε μάλ᾽ ἤ κεν μεῖνε.. then doubtless he would have stayed, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; σοὶ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἕψομ᾽ ἐγώ yes indeed.., [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ ὤφελλες why plainly.., [Refs 8th c.BC+].. now in very truth, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__3 in [Refs 8th c.BC+] if wrath come on him ever so much, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; also μ. περ with participle, μ. περ μεμαώς though desiring never so much, [Refs]; καὶ μ. περ [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__4 in Attic dialect frequently in answers, yes, certainly, μ. γε [Refs 5th c.BC+]; καὶ μ. ἐπαύσατο certainly it stopped, [Refs]
__II comparative μᾶλλον [ᾱ by nature, Hdn.Gr.[Refs]μάλιον [ᾰ] only in [Refs 7th c.BC+]; late Doric dialect μαλλότερον [Refs 5th c.AD+]:—more, rather, [Refs 8th c.BC+] more than is expedient, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; παντὸς μ. most assuredly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: denoting a constant increase, more and more, sometimes doubled, μ. μ. [Refs 5th c.BC+]: in positive sense, exceedingly, κηρόθι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+] —Usage:
__II.1 frequently strengthened by other words, πολὺ μ. [NT+8th c.BC+] somewhat more, μ. τι περιημέκτεε [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.2 sometimes with a second comparative, ῥηΐτεροι μ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__II.3 μᾶλλον δέ much more.., or rather.., to correct a statement already made, ὁ δεσπότης πέπραγεν εὐτυχέστατα, μ. δ᾽ ὁ Πλοῦτος αὐτός [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὐχὶ μ. ἤ.. not so, but rather so.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.4 μ. δὲ καὶ ἡσυχαίτερα more or less violent, [Refs]
__II.5 οὐδὲν μ. none the more,[Refs 5th c.BC+]; μηδέν τι μ. ἤ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.6 μ. ἤ.. followed by οὐ in comparisons, where preference implies rejection or denial, πόλιν ὅλην διαφθεῖραι μᾶλλον ἤ οὐ τοὺς αἰτίους [Refs 5th c.BC+]: preceded by another negative, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__II.7 τὸ μ. καὶ ἧττον, a form of argument, a fortiori, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__II.8 παντὸς μ., see at {πᾶς} [Refs]
__III superlative μάλιστα most of all, above all, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., ἔπειτα or ἔπειτα δέ.., first and above all.., next.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., δεύτερον δὲ.. [Refs 4th c.BC+]; μ. μὲν.., εἰ δὲ μὴ.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάλιστα μὲν.., μᾶλλον μέντοι.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάλιστα.., εἰ μὴ δ᾽.. [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκέων μιν μ. ταύτης ἂν πείθεσθαι certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τί μ.; what precisely? [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὸ μ. πάντων the supreme reality, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]; τὸ μ. εἶναι the highest degree of being, [Refs]
__III.1 strengthened, ὡς μ. certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2 with the Article, ἐς τὰ μ. in the highest degree, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; εἰ τὰ μ. ἦσαν ἀληθεῖς if they were ever so true, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; εἰ τὰ μ. μὴ τινές, ἀλλὰ πάντες.. if (to put an extreme case) not some, but all.., [Refs]; ἀνὴρ δόκιμος ὁμοῖα τῷ μ. as famous as he that is most [famous], [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.2.b ἐν τοῖς μ. especially, as much as any, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with a superlative, ἐν τοῖς μ. ὠμότατος [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
__III.3 added to a superlative (see. μάλιστα [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__III.4 μάλιστα for μᾶλλον, μ. τῆς κόρης [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.5 with numerals, in round numbers, about, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πεντήκοντα μάλιστα[Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐς μέσον μάλιστά κῃ about the middle, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μ. σφᾶς μεσοῦν δειπνοῦντας that they were about the middle of supper, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__III.6 in answers, most certainly, [Refs 5th c.BC+]. (Orig. perhaps fiercely, compare μαλερός.)

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: 1Cor.12.22}