extremity
pronunciation
How to pronounce extremity in British English:
UK [ɪkˈstreməti]
How to pronounce extremity in American English:
US [ɪkˈstrɛmɪti]
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- Noun:
- an external body part that projects from the body
- an extreme condition or state (especially of adversity or disease)
- the greatest or utmost degree
- the outermost or farthest region or point
- that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso
Word Origin
- extremity (n.)
- late 14c., "one of two things at the extreme ends of a scale," from Old French estremite (13c.), from Latin extremitatem (nominative extremitas) "the end of a thing," from extremus "outermost;" see extreme (adj.), the etymological sense of which is better preserved in this word. Meaning "utmost point or end" is from c. 1400; meaning "limb or organ of locomotion, appendage" is from early 15c. (compare extremities). Meaning "highest degree" of anything is early 15c. Related: Extremital.
Example
- 1. Donor fatigue and the extremity of the country 's poverty are now causing those hopes to wither .
- 2. Since then , aznar , who runs a think tank and sits on the board of rupert murdoch 's news corp. , has distinguished himself mainly by the extremity of his rhetoric .
- 3. Situated in the north-west extremity of the north american continent , alaskais the largest state in theunited statesby area .
- 4. Consider africa , where nearly half of the top 60 countries in the failed states index are located , in most cases south of -- or at least at the southern extremity of -- the sahara .
- 5. The wily womb , in this account , " gets disconnected and angry , and wandering in every direction through the body , closes up the passages of the breath , and by obstructing respiration , drives them to extremity , causing all varieties of disease . "