ἐλᾰχιστ-ος [ᾰ], η, ον,
superlative of ἐλαχύς: comparative ἐλάσσων (which see):— smallest, least, frequently with a negative, γέρας, δύναμις οὐκ ἐ., [[ “hymnus ad Mercurium” 573, 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 7.168, etc.] Refs 5th c.BC+]; λόγου ἐλαχίστου of least account, [[ [prev. author] 1.143 ] Refs]; ἐλαχίστου ἐδέησε διαφθεῖραι narrowly missed destroying them, [[ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 2.77; περὶ ἐλαχίστου ποιεῖσθαι 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Apologia” 30a; παρ᾽ ἐλάχιστον ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς ἀφαιρεθῆναι 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 17.22. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 of Time, shortest, δι᾽ ἐλαχίστου (i.e. χρόνου) [[ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 3.39 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; δι᾽ ἐλαχίστης βουλῆς with shortest deliberation, [[ [prev. author] 1.138. ] Refs]
__3 of Number, fewest, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Respublica” 378a; ἐ. τὸν ἀριθμόν 4th c.BC: Aristoteles Philosophus “Politica” 1312a30 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐν ἐλαχίστοις δυσίν between two at least. [[ [prev. author] “EN” 1131a15. ] Refs]
__4 in Mathematics texts, ἐλάχιστα καὶ μέγιστα minima and maxima, [[ 3rd-2nd c.BC: Apollonius Pergaeus Geometra “Conica” 1 “Praef.” ] Refs 3rd c.BC+]
__II τὸ ἐλάχιστον, τοὐλάχιστον, at the least, [[ 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 2.13, 5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Anabasis” 5.7.8, 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 4.21 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἐλάχιστα least of any one, [[ 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 1.70 ] Refs 5th c.BC+]; ὡς ἐ. as little as possible, [[ 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Phaedo” 63d. ] Refs 5th c.BC+]