extreme
pronunciation
How to pronounce extreme in British English:
UK [ɪkˈstriːm]
How to pronounce extreme in American English:
US [ɪkˈstriːm]
-
- Noun:
- the furthest or highest degree of something
- the point located farthest from the middle of something
-
- Adjective:
- of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
- far beyond a norm in quantity or amount or degree; to an utmost degree
- beyond a norm in views or actions
- most distant in any direction
Word Origin
- extreme
- extreme: [15] Etymologically, extreme is the latinate equivalent of the native English utmost. It comes via Old French extreme from Latin extrēmus ‘farthest, last, excessive’, which began life as a superlative form based on Latin ex ‘out’ – hence originally ‘most out, utmost’. The underlying notion of ‘furthest outlying’ still survives in, for example, the use of extremities for the ‘hands’ or ‘feet’.
- extreme (adj.)
- early 15c., "outermost, farthest;" also "utter, total, in greatest degree" (opposed to moderate), from Old French extreme (13c.), from Latin extremus "outermost, utmost, farthest, last; the last part; extremity, boundary; highest or greatest degree," superlative of exterus (see exterior). In English as in Latin, not always felt as a superlative, hence more extreme, most extreme (which were condemned by Johnson). Extreme unction preserves the otherwise extinct sense of "last, latest" (15c.).
- extreme (n.)
- 1540s, "utmost point of a thing," from extreme (adj.); originally of the end of life (compare Latin in extremis in reference to the "last stages of life"). Phrase in the extreme "in an extreme degree" attested from c. 1600. Hence extremes "extremities, opposite ends of anything" (1550s); also "extreme measures" (1709).
Synonym
Example
- 1. China may be even more extreme .
- 2. Here I described an extreme example of this disease .
- 3. The extreme poverty and deaths under many socialist regimes .
- 4. Go around such safeguards with extreme caution .
- 5. That was a direct threat on my life . It sounds extreme , but it happens .