extreme

See also extrême, and extremé

English

Etymology

Latin extremus, the superlative of exterus

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪkˈstɹiːm/, SAMPA: /Ik"stri:m/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

extreme (comparative extremer or more extreme, superlative extremest or most extreme)

1. Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.

   At the extreme edges, the coating is very thin.

2. In the greatest or highest degree; intense.

   He has an extreme aversion to needles, and avoids visiting the doctor.

3. Excessive, or far beyond the norm.

   His extreme love of model trains showed in the rails that criscrossed his entire home.

4. Drastic, or of great severity.

   I think the new laws are extreme, but many believe them necessary for national security.

5. Of sports, difficult or dangerous; performed in a hazardous environment.

   Television has begun to reflect the growing popularity of extreme sports such as bungee jumping and skateboarding.

6. (archaic) Ultimate, final or last.

Synonyms

• (place): farthest, furthest, most distant, outermost, remotest
• (in greatest or highest degree): greatest, highest
• (excessive): excessive, too much
• (drastic): drastic, severe
• (sports): dangerous
• (ultimate): final, last, ultimate

Antonyms

• (place): closest, nearest
• (in greatest or highest degree): least
• (excessive): moderate, reasonable
• (drastic): moderate, reasonable

Derived terms

• extremeness

Translations

of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 盡頭, simpl. 尽头 (jìntóu); trad. 末端, simpl. 尽头 (mòduān) Dutch: afgelegen (nl) Finnish: äärimmäinen (fi) French: extrême (fr) m. and f. German: extrem (de)

Italian: estremo (it) m., estrema (it) f. Japanese: 末端の (mattan no) Russian: крайний (ru) (krájnij), дальний (ru) (dál’nij) Spanish: extremo (es) m. Swedish: avlägsen (sv) Urdu: اقصی نقطہ (ur), مقام انتہا (ur)

in the greatest or highest degree; intense

Arabic: شديد (ar) (shadiid) Chinese: Mandarin:trad. 極度的, simpl. 极度的 (jídùde); trad. 極大的, simpl. 极大的 (jídàde) Czech: extrémní (cs) m. Danish: ekstrem (da) Dutch: extreem (nl), extreme (nl), intens (nl), intense (nl) Finnish: äärimmäinen (fi) French: extrême (fr)

German: extrem (de) Haitian Creole: ekstrèm Italian: estremo (it) m., estrema (it) f. Japanese: 極度の (kyokudo no) Khmer: ក្រៃលែង (km) (krailaeng) Russian: экстремальный (ru) (ekstremál’nyj) Swedish: extrem (sv) Urdu: نہایت (ur)

excessive, or far beyond the norm

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 極端的, simpl. 极端的 (jídùde) Dutch: extreem, extreme, overmatig, overmatige Finnish: äärimmäinen (fi), törkeä (fi), liiallinen (fi) French: extrême (fr) m. and f., excessif (fr) m., excessive (fr) f. German: extrem (de)

Ido: extrema (io) Italian: estremo (it) m., estrema (it) f. Japanese: 極端な (kyokutan na) Khmer: ក្រៃលែង (km) (krailaeng) Urdu: حدِاکثر (ur), انتہائی (ur)

drastic, or of great severity

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 激烈的, simpl. 激烈的 (jīliède) Dutch: extreem (nl), extreme (nl), drastisch (nl), drastische (nl) Finnish: äärimmäinen (fi), törkeä (fi) French: extrême (fr) m. and f.

German: extrem (de) Italian: profondo (it) m., profonda (it) f. Swedish: extrem (sv) c. Urdu: حدِاکثر (ur), انتہائی (ur)

of sports, difficult or dangerous; performed in a hazardous environment

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 極限運動, simpl. 极限运动 (jíxiànyùndòng) Dutch: extreem (nl), extreme (nl) Finnish: extreme (fi)

French: extrême (fr) m. and f. Russian: экстремальный (ru) (ekstremál’nyj) Swedish: extrem (sv) Urdu: مشکل ترین (ur), پرخطر (ur)

archaic: ultimate, final or last

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 極端的, simpl. 极端的 (jídùde) Dutch: ultiem (nl), ultieme (nl) Finnish: äärimmäinen (fi) French: extrême (fr) m. and f.

Japanese: 究極の (kyūkyoku no) Malay: ekstrem (ms) Spanish: extremo (es) Swedish: ytterst (sv) Urdu: آخری (ur)

Noun

extreme (plural extremes)

1. The greatest or utmost point, degree or condition
2. Each of the things at opposite ends of a range or scale.

   extremes of temperature

3. A drastic expedient.
4. (mathematics) Either of the two numbers at the ends of a proportion, as 1 and 6 in 1:2=3:6.

Translations

greatest or utmost point, degree or condition

Chinese: Mandarin: trad. 極端的, simpl. 极端的 (jídùde) Dutch: extreem (nl) n. French: extrême (fr) m.

German: Extrem n. Italian: estremo (it) m. Japanese: 究極 (kyūkyoku), 極限 (kyokugen) Swedish: extrem (sv) c.

each of the things at opposite ends of a range or scale

Czech: extrém (cs) m. Dutch: uiterste (nl) n. French: extrême (fr) m.

Italian: estremo (it) m. Japanese: 極端 (kyokutan) Swedish: extrem (sv) c.

drastic expedient

French: extrême (fr) m.

Adverb

extreme

1. (archaic) Extremely.
   • 1796 Charles Burney, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Metastasio 2.5:

     In the empty and extreme cold theatre.

Usage notes

• Formerly used to modify adjectives and sometimes adverbs, but rarely verbs.

Derived terms

• extremism
• extremist
• extremity
• extremely
• extreme ironing
• extreme unction

Related terms

• extremum

See also

• mean

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989

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Dutch

Adjective

extreme

1. The inflected form^FAQ of extreem.

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Ido

Adverb

extreme

1. extremely

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Latin

Noun

extreme

1. vocative singular of extremus

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Spanish

Verb

extreme (infinitive extremar)

1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of extremar.
2. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present subjunctive form of extremar.
3. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of extremar.

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Swedish

Adjective

extreme

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of extrem.