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• ultra
  ultra

  adjective

  going beyond what is usual or ordinary; excessive; extreme.
• ultra-
  ultra-

  a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, with the basic meaning “on the far side of, beyond.” In relation to the base to which it is prefixed, ultra- has the senses “located beyond, on the far side of ” (ultramontane; ultraviolet ), “carrying to the furthest degree possible, on the fringe of ” (ultraleft; ultramodern ), “extremely” (ultralight ); nouns to which it is added denote, in general, objects, properties, phenomena, etc., that surpass customary norms, or instruments designed to produce or deal with such things (ultramicroscope; ultrasound; ultrastructure ).

ultra

¹ American  

[uhl-truh] / ˈʌl trə /

adjective

1. going beyond what is usual or ordinary; excessive; extreme.

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noun

1. an extremist, as in politics, religion, fashion, etc.

2. Military. Ultra, the British code name for intelligence gathered by decrypting German wireless communications enciphered on the Enigma machine during World War II.

ultra- ² American  

1. a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, with the basic meaning “on the far side of, beyond.” In relation to the base to which it is prefixed, ultra- has the senses “located beyond, on the far side of ” (ultramontane; ultraviolet ), “carrying to the furthest degree possible, on the fringe of ” (ultraleft; ultramodern ), “extremely” (ultralight ); nouns to which it is added denote, in general, objects, properties, phenomena, etc., that surpass customary norms, or instruments designed to produce or deal with such things (ultramicroscope; ultrasound; ultrastructure ).

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ultra ¹ British  

/ ˈʌltrə /

adjective

1. extreme or immoderate, esp in beliefs or opinions

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noun

1. an extremist

ultra- ² British  

prefix

1. beyond or surpassing a specified extent, range, or limit

   ultramicroscopic

2. extreme or extremely

   ultramodern

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Etymology

Origin of ultra¹

Independent use of ultra-, or shortening of words prefixed with it

Origin of ultra-²

From Latin ultrā (adverb and preposition) “on the far side,” derivative of ulter (unrecorded) “located beyond”

Explanation

Use the adjective ultra to describe something extreme, like your ultra strict parents or your own ultra radical political views. If your sister is ultra uptight and your English teacher's syllabus is ultra traditional, it means that both of them hold unusual opinions, far outside of the normal range. Neither would be a good fit for your own ultra relaxed philosophy of life. Ultra means "beyond" in Latin, and its meaning of "outside the norm" comes from the French word ultra-royaliste, or "extreme royalist." Eventually, it was shortened to just ultra, to describe any extreme opinion.

Example Sentences

Michelob Ultra has benefited from AB InBev’s consistent positioning of the brand as part of a healthy, active lifestyle, Marcondes said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The boy’s electric motorcycle was a 2025 Surron Ultra Bee, advertised by Surron as capable of reaching a top speed of 56 mph.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said that a Vera Rubin AI server, scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026, is set to be 3.3 times faster than the current top-of-the-range Blackwell Ultra equivalent.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

It was a stark reminder of the challenges the more militant edge of the Ultra movement poses.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Morhoff, in his Polyhistor Litteraria, censures the Plus Ultra of Glanvill, conceiving that he had treated with contempt all ages and nations but his own.

From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Disraeli, Isaac