"Winningest" -- a proper word?

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>From today's Austin American-Statesman. Any comments?
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_http://www.statesman.com/search/content/life/stories/other/04/21/0421greig.ht
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(http://www.statesman.com/search/content/life/stories/other/04/21/0421greig.html) 
 
Q: Is "winningest" a proper word? I hear it often in sports commentary, but  
it always strikes me as a bit off. For example: "John Force is the winningest  
drag racer of all time."  
— Michael D.  
A: I agree. "Winningest" is listed as an informal adjective in a few  
dictionaries, including the American Heritage Dictionary of the English  Language, 
but I did not find it in the Oxford English Dictionary.  
The scholars at the University of Texas grammar hot line, 475-8372, said  
"winningest" is not a good word  choice.         
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(OED)
winning, ppl. a.
 
2. Gaining, or resulting in, victory or superiority in a  contest or 
competition; victorious. In U.S. colloq. use also in superlative. winning hazard: see 
_HAZARD_ 
(http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/crossref?query_type=fulltext&queryword=winningest&first=1&max_to_show=10&search_spec=fulltext&sort_type=alpha&search_
id=yCgj-suaWSR-3723&control_no=50285956&result_place=1&xrefword=hazard&ps=n.) 
 n. 7b. winning stroke, a stroke that gains a point in a  game, or one by 
which the game is won.  
1592  _SHAKES._ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-s2.html#shakes)   
Rom. & Jul. III. ii. 12 Learne me  how to loose a winning match. 1609  _HOLLAND_ 
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-h3.html#holland)  Amm. Marcell. 290 
Contemning  that Emperour who everie where in civile warre went away on the 
winning hand. 1822  _SCOTT_ 
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-s.html#scott)  Nigel Introd. Epist., I am not  displeased to find the game a winning one. 
1855  Poultry Chron. II. 486 Neither  should I have given the first place to 
the winning Dorking cock. 1860  LÖWENTHAL  Morphy's Games Chess 56 The  
winning move. 1884  Marshall's Tennis Cuts 114 In  playing against a fine player, it 
is imperative to go for a winning-stroke  whenever there is a fair opening. 
1974  State (Columbia, S. Carolina) 5 Mar. 6-A/7 John Bates, coach of 
Maryland-Eastern Shore, at 26-1 the winningest college  basketball team in the nation. 
1979  Tucson (Arizona) Citizen 20 Sept. 5D/1 Slota defeated  Sarah Cap, the 
winningest active greyhound with 113 career  victories. 1985  Dirt Bike Mar. 
23/2 (Advt.),  That's the moment you know what the winningest racers and most 
satisfied riders  know.




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