extreme English · revision 4326

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1460|origins=la extremus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪkˈstriːm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|extreme]],^(MWU 2024) [[bor|frm|extreme]], Old French extreme (13th century),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|extrēmus|t=outermost, utmost, farthest, last]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) the superlative of exterus “outward, outside”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from ex “out of”.^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[exterior]] and [[external]].^(Cresswell 2021)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Very severe, utter, farthest”: probably before 1425, in a translation of Higden's Polychronicon, according to Barnhart;^(Barnhart 1988) the early 15th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The OED's quotations start about 1460, of a quality or feeling existing in the utmost degree.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “last, latest”, from about 1477, survives only in ''extreme unction'', the last rites.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Of measures, “severe or violent in the utmost degree”, it is from 1512,^(OED 1989) and “outermost, farthest from the centre” from 1503.^(OED 1989) The noun, the utmost point, is from 1546,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) first of the end of life, compare Latin in extremis.^(Etymonline) ''Extremes'', the opposite ends of anything, is from the 1550s,^(Etymonline) and extreme measures from 1709.^(Etymonline) Of opinions, going beyond the limits of moderation, it is from 1876.^(OED 1989) Because the word was not always felt as a superlative, more extreme and most extreme came into use, which Johnson condemned.^(Etymonline)^(Johnson 1755) ''Extremist'' is from 1846 and ''extremism'' from 1865.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a. 1425 – utter, farthest.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1460 – in the utmost degree.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1477 – last, as in ''extreme unction''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1512 – of drastic measures.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1546 – noun, the utmost point.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1709 – ''extremes'', extreme measures.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1846 – ''extremist''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1876 – of opinions.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Farthest or [[outermost]]: ''the extreme north''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Very great or [[intense]]: ''extreme cold''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Going far beyond the normal or moderate: ''extreme views''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Very severe; [[drastic]]: ''extreme measures''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Of a sport, very dangerous or difficult: ''extreme skiing''.^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Last, final.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The greatest or utmost degree: ''generous to an extreme''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Either of two things at opposite ends of a range: ''extremes of heat and cold''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A drastic measure or expedient.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' The first or last term of a ratio or series.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==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.^(Johnson 1755)^(Etymonline) In London an old adverbial use, “extremely”, as in “how extreme cold it is”, was recorded by the English Dialect Dictionary.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}