extreme

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪkˈstriːm/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English extreme,^[2] borrowed from Middle French extreme, Old French extreme (13th century),^[3][4] from Latin extrēmus (“outermost, utmost, farthest, last”),^[3][4][5] the superlative of exterus “outward, outside”,^[4][5] from ex “out of”.^[4] It is related to exterior and external.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

“Very severe, utter, farthest”: probably before 1425, in a translation of Higden's Polychronicon, according to Barnhart;^[4] the early 15th century in Etymonline.^[3] The OED's quotations start about 1460, of a quality or feeling existing in the utmost degree.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The sense “last, latest”, from about 1477, survives only in extreme unction, the last rites.^[7][3] Of measures, “severe or violent in the utmost degree”, it is from 1512,^[7] and “outermost, farthest from the centre” from 1503.^[7] The noun, the utmost point, is from 1546,^[4][2] first of the end of life, compare Latin in extremis.^[3] Extremes, the opposite ends of anything, is from the 1550s,^[3] and extreme measures from 1709.^[3] Of opinions, going beyond the limits of moderation, it is from 1876.^[7] Because the word was not always felt as a superlative, more extreme and most extreme came into use, which Johnson condemned.^[3][8] Extremist is from 1846 and extremism from 1865.^[4]

Timeline

• a. 1425 – utter, farthest.^[4]
• c. 1460 – in the utmost degree.^[7]
• c. 1477 – last, as in extreme unction.^[7]
• 1512 – of drastic measures.^[7]
• 1546 – noun, the utmost point.^[4][2]
• 1709 – extremes, extreme measures.^[3]
• 1846 – extremist.^[4]
• 1876 – of opinions.^[7]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Farthest or outermost: the extreme north.
2. Very great or intense: extreme cold.
3. Going far beyond the normal or moderate: extreme views.
4. Very severe; drastic: extreme measures.
5. Of a sport, very dangerous or difficult: extreme skiing.
6. (archaic) Last, final.

Noun

1. The greatest or utmost degree: generous to an extreme.
2. Either of two things at opposite ends of a range: extremes of heat and cold.
3. A drastic measure or expedient.
4. (mathematics) The first or last term of a ratio or series.

Word family

• extremely
• extremeness
• extremal
• extremophile
• extremism

Related words

• extremum
• extremity
• extremist
• exterior
• external

Usage notes

Johnson called more extreme and most extreme a corruption, since the word already has a superlative sense.^[8][3] In London an old adverbial use, “extremely”, as in “how extreme cold it is”, was recorded by the English Dialect Dictionary.^[9]

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
5. ^ a b c Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
9. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)