extra

1 of 4

adjective

ex·​tra ˈek-strə 

1

a

: more than is due, usual, or necessary : additional

extra work

In preparation for this weekend's competition, the team put in some extra hours.

—Andrew King

… has a large storage area for things like a tent, sleeping bag, mosquito netting, extra clothing, and an extra pair of boots.

—Stephanie Fitzgerald

b

: subject to an additional charge

dessert is extra

There is an entrance charge of €5 per person, and it's extra for sunbeds …

—Eilis O'Hanlon

2

: superior

extra quality

3

slang : going beyond what is usual or standard: such as

a

: extremely or excessively elaborate : extravagant

This Ontario mansion … is basically a mini castle and is so extra it even comes with a 16-foot waterfall.

—Patrick John Gilson

b

: characterized by dramatic or eccentric behavior : over-the-top

… women who are seen as too fun, too brash, too extra, too loud …

—Bonnie McLaren

"So this is my dad," she [Annisa Simao] says. "If you know him, you know he's pretty goofy, … pretty extra."

—Natalie B. Compton

extra

2 of 4

noun

1

: one that is extra or additional: such as

a

: a special edition of a newspaper

b

: an added charge

c

: an additional worker

specifically : one hired to act in a group scene in a movie, on television, or in a stage production

d

: an attractive addition or accessory : frill

cars loaded with extras

2

: something of superior quality or grade

extra

3 of 4

adverb

: beyond the usual size, extent, or degree

extra large

extra-

4 of 4

prefix

: outside : beyond

extrajudicial

Synonyms of extra

Adjective

• excess
• surplus
• additional
• spare

Noun

• spare

Adverb

• extremely
• very
• incredibly
• damn
• too
• highly
• terribly
• damned
• so
• full
• really
• much
• desperately
• badly
• super
• severely
• most
• seriously
• greatly
• far
• that
• real
• heavily
• jolly
• especially

Examples of extra in a Sentence

Adjective

a sandwich with extra mayonnaise

She got a part-time job to earn some extra money.

He gave us an extra week to finish the job.

There's no extra charge for breakfast.

Noun

The package deal includes some nice extras.

Thousands of extras were hired for the battle scene.

Adverb

You have to pay $5 extra for room service.

The food was extra good.

The roads are slippery, so be extra careful.

This is an extra special occasion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Tigers take extra bases at the second-highest rate in the league. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Speaking of the valve, drinking out of this with the valve in place does take a little extra effort, but this bottle can grow with your kids too; when the time comes, simply replace the sippy lid with one of Nalgene’s wide-mouth caps. — Emily Farris, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026

Noun

Keep enough linens to meet your actual household needs, then donate usable extras or responsibly dispose of anything that’s too worn to pass along. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026

After blowouts, shutouts and easy wins, the Indians went into extras for the first time to keep the longest streak in 101 years intact. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Adverb

Columnist Gustavo Arellano says voters should pray extra hard to these patron saints for the 2026 election. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

As of last September, the group's biggest needs were women's dress clothes in size extra large, along with new socks, underwear and bras. — Frankie McLister, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

probably short for extraordinary

Prefix

Latin, from extra, adverb & preposition, outside, except, beyond, from exter being on the outside — more at exterior

First Known Use

Adjective

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1793, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1778, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing extra

• extra-base hit
• extra point
• extra-virgin
• go the extra mile

Kids Definition

extra

1 of 4 adjective

ex·​tra ˈek-strə 

: more than is due, usual, or necessary

extra

2 of 4 noun

: something extra: as

a

: a special edition of a newspaper

b

: a person hired to act in a group scene (as in a movie)

extra

3 of 4 adverb

: beyond the usual size, extent, or degree

extra long

extra large eggs

extra-

4 of 4 prefix

: outside : beyond

extracurricular

Etymology

Prefix

derived from Latin extra "outside, beyond" — related to strange