Quick Definition
most of all, especially
Strong's Definition
(adverbially) most (in the greatest degree) or particularly
Derivation: neuter plural of the superlative of an apparently primary adverb (very);
KJV Usage: chiefly, most of all, (e-)specially
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
μάλιστα (superlative of the adverb μάλα) (from Homer down), adverb, especially, chiefly, most of all, above all: Act_20:38; Act_25:26; Gal_6:10; Php_4:22; 1Ti_4:10; 1Ti_5:8; 1Ti_5:17; 2Ti_4:13; Tit_1:10; Phm_1:16; 2Pe_2:10; μάλιστα γνώστης, especially expert, thoroughly well-informed, Act_26:3.
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
μάλιστα malista 12x
most, most of all, chiefly, especially, Act_20:38 ; Act_25:26
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
μάλιστα , see μάλα G3123 .
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
μάλιστα [page 387]
μάλιστα , most of all, especially, which occurs 12 times in the NT, and is usually elative, may be illustrated by F Lille I. 26 .2 (iii/B.C.) ἔγραψάς μοι περὶ τῆς εἰς τὴν σησαμείαν γῆς , μάλιστα δὲ περὶ τῆς ἐν Πατῶντι , P Goodsp Cairo 4 .13 (mid. ii/B.C.) (= Witkowski .2 , p. 95) μάλιστα δὲ σαυτοῦ ἐπιμελόμενος , ἴ̣ν᾽ ὑγιαίνηις , P Tebt I. 40 .11 (B.C. 117) (= Selections , p. 28) διὰ τὸ μάλιστα ἐπιβάλλειν προνοεῖσθαι τῶν βασιλικῶν , because it devolves upon you before all others to watch over the interests of the Crown (Edd.), P Amh II. 131 .12 (early ii/A.D.) μάλιστα δὲ περὶ τοὺς ἐνυφαντωνι ( l. τῶν ἐνυφαντῶν ) ὅπως μὴ δίκας λέγωμεν , and in particular look after the woven stuffs, so that we may not have any cross-words (Edd.), P Giss I. 24 .2 (time of Trajan) τ ]ῶν θεῶν [οὖ ]ν̣ θελόντων καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ ἀνικήτο̣υ Ἑρμοῦ , and P Oxy VI. 939 .20 (iv/A.D.)(= Selections , p. 129) νὴ γὰρ τὴν σὴν σωτηρίαν , κύριέ μου , ἧς μάλιστά μοι μέλει κτλ ., for by your own safety, my lord, which chiefly concerns me etc. In MGr μάλιστα = of course, quite, very.
Liddell-Scott — Intermediate Greek Lexicon
μάλιστα [Etym: Sup. of μάλα, v. μάλα III.]
STEPBible — Tyndale Abridged Greek Lexicon
μάλιστα, see: μάλα.
μάλα
adv., [in LXX for אֲבָל, 3Ki.1:43, Dan LXX 10:21, al.; compar. for מ, Num.13:32 (31), al.; μᾶλλον ἠ (מ), Gen.19:9, al.; superlat., 2Ma.8:7, 4Ma.4:22 12:9 15:4 ;]
__I. Pos., very, very much, exceedingly (cl.; LXX ut supr.; in NT its place is taken by λίαν, σφόδρα, etc.).
__II. Compar., μᾶλλον.
__1. Of increase, more; with qualifying words: πολλῷ, Mrk.10:48, Luk.18:39, Rom.5:15, 17, Php.2:12, al.; πόσῳ, Luk.12:24, Rom.11:12, al.; τοσούτῳ . . . ὅσῳ, Heb.10:25.
__2. Of comparison, the more: Luk.5:15, Jhn.5:18, Act.5:14, 1Th.4:1, 10, 2Pe.1:10; ἔτι μ. καὶ μ., Php.1:9; with compar., Mrk.7:36, 2Co.7:13; πολλῴ μ. κρεῖσον, Php.1:23; μ. διαφέρειν, with genitive, Mat.6:26; μ. ἤ, Mat.18:13; with genitive, 1Co.14:18; as periphr. for compar., Act.20:35, 1Co.9:15, Gal.4:27; μ. δέ (EV, yea rather), Rom.8:34.
__3. Of preference, rather, the rather, sooner: with qualifying words, πολλῷ, Mat.6:30, al.; πολύ, Heb.12:25; πόσῳ, Mat.7:11, al.; in a question, οὐ μ., 1Co.9:12; after a neg., Mat.10:6, al.; θέλω (εὐδοκῶ) μ., 1Co.14:5, 2Co.5:8; ζηλῶ, 1Co.14:1; with subst., τ. σκότος ἢ τ. φῶς, Jhn.3:19; μ. δέ, Gal.4:9.
__III. Superl., μάλιστα
, most, most of all, above all: Act.20:38 25:26, Gal.6:10, Php.4:22, 1Ti.4:10 5:8, 17, 2Ti.4:13, Tit.1:10, Phm 16, 2Pe.2:10; μ. γνώστης, Act.26:3
(AS)