ultra

1 of 3

adjective

ul·​tra ˈəl-trə 

: going beyond others or beyond due limit : extreme

ultra

2 of 3

noun

: one that is ultra : extremist

ultra-

3 of 3

prefix

1

: beyond in space : on the other side : trans-

ultraviolet

2

: beyond the range or limits of : transcending : super-

ultramicroscopic

3

: beyond what is ordinary, proper, or moderate : excessively : extremely

ultramodern

Synonyms of ultra

Adjective

• extreme
• radical
• rabid
• revolutionary

Examples of ultra in a Sentence

Adjective

espouses a kind of ultra conservatism that even some members of his own party cannot support

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ugg Tasman Max Curly Slipper These ultra-soft slippers are selling fast, so be sure to add them to your cart before your size runs out. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025

Timothée Chalamet rocked his ultra-cool Urban Jürgensen UJ-2, Tyler, the Creator flexed what appears to be a chic Pierre Balmain dress watch, and Kevin O’Leary flaunted both a vintage Patek and a gold Seiko in a high-low of horology. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Dec. 2025

Noun

Fiorentina’s ultras refused to go to the game in protest at ticket prices but showed up on the outskirts of Pisa, smarting for a fight anyway. —James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025

The Pixel 10 sports a 48 MP primary, a 13 MP ultra wide, and a 10.8 MP 5x telephoto—this setup is most similar to Google's foldable phone. —ArsTechnica, 29 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

ultra-

Noun

ultra-

Prefix

Latin, from ultra beyond, adverb & preposition, from *ulter situated beyond — more at ulterior

First Known Use

Adjective

1818, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ultra

• ne plus ultra
• ultra-civilized
• ultra-commercial
• ultra-pasteurized
• ultra-processed
• ultra-rare
• ultra vires
• ultra-wide

Kids Definition

ultra

1 of 2 adjective

ul·​tra

ˈəl-trə

: going beyond others : extreme

ultra-

2 of 2 prefix

1

: beyond : exceeding the range or limits of

ultraviolet

2

: more than is usual

ultramodern

Etymology

Prefix

derived from Latin ultra "beyond"