Definition of NE PLUS ULTRA

Did You Know?

It's the height, the zenith, the ultimate, the crown, the pinnacle. It's the peak, the summit, the crest, the high-water mark. All these expressions, of course, mean "the highest point attainable." But ne plus ultra may top them all when it comes to expressing in a sophisticated way that something is the pink of perfection. It is said that the term's predecessor, non plus ultra, was inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules at the Strait of Gibraltar, which marked the western end of the classical world. The phrase served as a warning: "(Let there) not (be) more (sailing) beyond." The New Latin version ne plus ultra, meaning "(go) no more beyond," found its way into English in the 1630s.

Examples of ne plus ultra in a Sentence

this new sports car is being billed as the ne plus ultra of automotive achievement

Recent Examples on the Web

At last week’s haute joaillerie showings, there was no shortage of moneyed clients reserving the one-of-a-kind jewels that represent the ne plus ultra of a luxury house’s artistry and handcraftsmanship. — Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, "The Latest Red Carpet-Ready Looks From Paris High-Jewelry Collections," 8 July 2019 With their very millennial digital fluency and unique celebrity nexus between the worlds of fashion and music, the similarity between the Ferragnez and Kimye—the ne plus ultra of social media power couples—has not been lost on them. — Alison S. Cohn, Harper's BAZAAR, "Chiara Ferragni's Secret to Winning on Social Media," 18 Apr. 2019 In the pantheon of iconic shoes, Adidas Stan Smiths are the unassuming ne plus ultra. — Monica Kim, Vogue, "A New Photo Book Celebrates the Iconic Stan Smith—Both Man and Shoe," 31 Aug. 2018 This is probably the place to mention that the crocheted sweater is no longer the ne plus ultra of canine and feline fashion. — Peter Haldeman, New York Times, "The Secret Price of Pets," 4 July 2018 Along with the Toy Story trilogy, The Incredibles is one of the jewels in the crown that made Pixar the ne plus ultra of animation companies. — Todd Mccarthy, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Incredibles 2': Film Review," 11 June 2018 Chef/owner Pierre Calmels has the city’s ne plus ultra of BYOBs, Bibou. — Michael Klein, Philly.com, "Let's Eat: Poke and the Rittenhouse scene," 30 May 2018 To prove to skeptics that miracles occur, CNN’s ne plus ultra of fake-news authorship, Wolf Blitzer, uttered words of respectful admiration for the president. — Conrad Black, National Review, "Michael Wolff and the Death Rattle of Trumpophobia," 10 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ne plus ultra.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.