Quick Definition
ὕψιστος, η, ον Adj highest, most high, the heights
Strong's Definition
highest, i.e. (masculine singular) the Supreme (God), or (neuter plural) the heavens
Derivation: superlative from the base of G5311 (ὕψος);
KJV Usage: most high, highest
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
adjc. | -η, -ον | ὑψόω
1.13 · Geographical Objects and Features · Regions Above the Earth
high, world above, sky, heaven, on high a location above the earth and associated with supernatural events or beings The parallelism in the phrases peace in heaven and glory in the world above indicates quite clearly the equivalence in reference, though not in meaning, between οὐρανός[b] (1.11) and ὕψιστος[a].
In MAT 21:9 the phrase ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, literally ‘hosanna in the highest,’ has been interpreted as a plea for salvation or deliverance from God who is in heaven. However, it seems preferable to understand ὡσαννά as simply being a shout of exclamation or praise and therefore to interpret the phrase ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις as meaning ‘praise to God.’ In LUK 19:38 a parallel expression, καὶ δόξα ἐν ὑψίστοις, literally ‘and glory in the highest,’ is usually understood as an acclamation of glory to God and therefore may be so rendered. See 33.357.
In contexts in which these expressions refer clearly to ‘heaven’ or ‘the sky,’ it is better to use terms meaning ‘heaven’ or ‘sky’ rather than terms meaning ‘height’ or ‘that which is high.’
12.4 · Supernatural Beings and Powers · Supernatural Beings
the Most High, the Highest, the Supreme One (a title for God, literally: highest) one who is supreme, primarily a reference to status In some languages the concept of height is entirely unrelated to the idea of importance, and therefore it may be necessary to translate ‘the Most High’ as ‘the Most Important’ or even ‘the Greatest.’
MRK 5:7 · LUK 1:32 · LUK 1:35 · LUK 1:76 · LUK 6:35 · LUK 8:28 · ACT 7:48 · ACT 16:17 · HEB 7:1
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
ὕψιστος, -η, -ον, (Βα 1]. ; fr. ὕψε on high), in Grk. writ. mostly poetic, highest, most high ; a. of place: neut. τὰ ὕψιστα (Sept. for 0117), the highest regions, i. e. heaven (see ὑψηλός, a.), Mt. xxi. 9; Mk. xi. 10; LK. ii. 14; xix. 38, (Job xvi. 19; Is. lvii. 15). b. of rank: of God, ὁ θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος, the most high God, Mk. v. 7; Lk. viii. 28; Acts xvi. 17; Heb. vii. 1; [Gen. xiv. 18; Philo de leg. ad Gaium § 23]; and simply ὁ ὕψιστος, the Most High, Acts vii. 48; and without the article (cf. B. § 124, 8 b. note; [ WH. Intr. § 416]), Lk. i. 32, 35, 76; vi. 35, and very often in Sir.; (Hebr. iy, roy ON, oy ody, pry mim; Ζεὺς ὕψιστος, Pind. Nem. 1, 90; 11, 2; Aeschyl. Eum. 28).
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
ὕψιστος hypsistos 13x
highest, loftiest, most elevated; τὰ ὕψιστα, from the Hebrew, the highest heaven, Mt. 21:9; Mk. 11:10; met. ὁ ὕψιστος, the Most High, Mk. 5:7
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
ὕψιστος, -η, -ον superlat., without positive in use, in cl. chiefly poët. (Æsch., Soph., al.),
[in LXX chiefly for עֶלְיוֹן, also for מָרוֹם, etc. ;]
highest, most high: of place, τὰ ὕ. (of the heavens), Mt 21:9, Mk 11:10, Lk 2:14 19:38 (cf. Jos 16:19, Is 57:15); of God (in cl., of Zeus; Pind., Æsch., al.), ὕ., Lk 1:32, 35, 76 6:35 (as freq. in Si 4:10, al.); ὁ ὕ., Ac 7:48; ὁ θεὸς ὁ ὕ., Mk 5:7, Lk 8:28, Ac 16:17, He 7:1 (cf. Ge 14:18).†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
ὕψιστος. For this distinctively /ezw¢shk title of the “‘most high” God, we may cite from the inscrr, OG/S 96? (ili/ii B.C.) οἱ ἐν ᾿Αθρίβει ᾿Ιουδαῖοι τὴν προσευχὴν θεῷ Ὑψίστῳ, Archiv vy. p. 163, No. τοῦ (B.C: 29) Θεῶι μεγάλω «ι;» peydko<i> ὑψίστω -«ἰ--, where Rubensohn thinks that the reference is again to Jehovah, 72.1.5 xxii. (1902), p. 124, No. 58° fev ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἱερεὺς θεοῦ ὑψίστου, and C. and B. ii. p. 652, No. 563 ἐὰν δέ τις ἕτερον σῶμα εἰσενέγκῃ ἔσ]ται αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον (see the editor’s note). Other references will be found in Herwerden Lex. $.U. The Christian use of the word appears in the following exx. selected from Ghedini’s Lettere Christiane—P Lips I. 113 (iv/A.D.) πρὸ μὲν [πά]ντων εὔχομαι τῷ ὑψίστῳ θε[ῳ] περὶ τῆς σῆς ὑγίας, P Lond 12445 (iv/a.p.) (= III. p. 244) προσαγορεύω νυκτὸς [κ]αὶ ἡμέραις τῷ ὑψίστῳ θεῷ, and P Iand I. 1438 (iv/A.D.) πρὸ μ[ὲν] πάντων [εὔϊ]χομαι τῷ ἐν ὑψίσ[ζτ]ῳ θεῷ (cf. Lk 2"). See also the magical P Lond 465 (iv/A.p.) (=I. p. 66) διατήρησόν pe καὶ τὸν παῖδα τοῦτον ἀπημάντους ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ ὑψίστου θεοῦ, the Pagan prayer for vengeance in Preisighe 1323 (ii/A.D.) Θεῷ ὑψίστῳ kal πάντων ἐπόπτῃ καὶ Ἡλίῳ καὶ Νεμέσεσι αἴρει ᾿Αρσεινόη ἄωρος τὰς χεῖρας, and OG/S 753, 756, two stones from a sanctuary at Miletus τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου Θεοῦ Ὑψίστου, which were alterwards built into a Christian church in the beginning of the Byzantine age.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
ὕψιστος (hupsistos) — Highest. ὕψιστος, η, ον, superlative without any Posit. in use: (ὕψι, ὑψοῦ):— highest, loftiest, of places, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐν τοῖς ὑ., i. e. in heaven above, [NT]
2. of Zeus, highest, [Refs 5th c.BC+] from his temple there, [LXX+2nd c.BC+]
3. of things, στέφανος, κέρδος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]