[340]. A peculiar class of diminutives is formed by adding -culo- to the comparative stem -ius- ([346]): as, nitidius-culo-, N. nitidius-culu-s, a trifle sleeker (nitidius-); longius-culu-s, a bit longer (longius-).
[341]. Adverbs sometimes have a diminutive form: as, bellē, charmingly; paullulum, a little bit; meliusculē, a bit better ([340]).
[V. COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES.]
[342]. Comparatives and superlatives are usually formed from the stem of the positive: as, dignior, worthier, dignissimus, worthiest, from digno-, stem of dignus. A few are formed directly from roots: thus, maior, greater, and maximus, greatest, are formed from the √mag-, and not from magno-, stem of magnus.
(1.) COMPARATIVE -ior, SUPERLATIVE -issimus.
[343]. The nominative of comparative adjectives ends usually in -ior, and that of superlatives in -issimus: thus,
| Comparative. | Superlative. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masc. | Fem. | Neut. | Masc. | Fem. | Neut. |
| -ior | -ior | -ius | -issimus | -issima | -issimum |
| Positive. | Comparative. | Superlative. |
|---|---|---|
| altus, high, | altior, higher, | altissimus, highest. |
| trīstis, sad, | trīstior, sadder, | trīstissimus, saddest. |
(2.) SUPERLATIVE -rimus.
[344]. Adjectives with the nominative in -er have the nominative of the superlative like the nominative of the positive with -rimus added ([350]): as,