The highest point or peak of something; the culmination or perfect example of a quality or state. The point of greatest perfection or excellence.
From Greek 'akmē' meaning 'highest point' or 'prime of life', literally 'point' or 'edge'. Entered English in the 16th century through Latin, originally used in medical contexts to describe the crisis point of a disease.
Thanks to Warner Bros. cartoons, most people associate 'Acme' with the fictional company that sold Wile E. Coyote his perpetually malfunctioning gadgets, making it ironically synonymous with failure rather than perfection. The word's journey from Greek medical terminology to cartoon comedy shows how language evolves in unexpected directions.
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