höchstens
Translation
at most, at the most, maximum
Examples
Die Fahrt dauert höchstens zehn Minuten.
The journey takes ten minutes at most.
Ich habe höchstens zwanzig Euro dabei.
I have twenty euros with me at most.
Grammar Patterns
[Adverb] + [Quantity] at most... The journey takes at most ten minutes.
Similar Words
Synonyms: maximal (maximum), bestenfalls (at best); Antonyms: mindestens (at least), wenigstens (at least)
Etymology
It's the superlative of 'hoch' (high), 'höchst-', combined with the adverbial suffix '-ens'. It literally means 'at the highest'.
Memory Tips
Think of 'highest' (höchst). 'höchstens' sets the highest possible limit for something, meaning 'at most'.