The word "leasts" is a plural form of the word "least" and is commonly used in comparative contexts. Its spelling can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as /li:sts/, where the "ea" is pronounced as /i:/ and the following "s" represents the plural form. The word "least" means "smallest in amount or degree" and is often used along with comparative adjectives like "less" and "fewer." As a plural form, "leasts" can be used to compare multiple items in terms of their minimal characteristic.
The word "leasts" is the plural form of the word "least".
The etymology of "least" can be traced back to the Old English word "lǣst", which means "smallest" or "last". It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "laisiztaz", which also means "smallest" or "least".
The word "laisiztaz" is further derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*leis-", meaning "small". This root has spread across various Indo-European languages and has given rise to related words such as "leiste" in Old Norse, "lyesirs" in Old High German, "lyzysta" in Gothic, and "listis" in Old Frisian.