extra
adjective
beyond or more than what is usual, expected, or necessary; additional.
extra
1 American
[ek-struh]
/ ˈɛk strə /
adjective
-
beyond or more than what is usual, expected, or necessary; additional.
an extra copy of a newspaper; an extra charge.
-
larger or better than what is usual.
an extra binding.
-
Slang.
-
extremely good.
-
over the top; extreme or excessive.
Her behavior is just so extra, so dramatic!
-
noun
-
extras
plural
-
something extra or additional.
the little amenities and extras that make life pleasant.
-
an additional expense.
-
a special edition of a newspaper, other than a regular edition.
-
something of superior quality.
-
Movies, Television. a person hired by the day to play a minor part, as a member of a mob or crowd.
-
an additional worker.
-
Cricket. Usually extras. a score or run not made from the bat, as a bye or a wide.
adverb
-
in excess of the usual or specified amount.
an extra high price.
-
beyond the ordinary degree; unusually; uncommonly.
done extra well; extra large.
extra-
2
American
extra
1
British
/ ˈɛkstrə /
adjective
noun
-
a person or thing that is additional
-
something for which an additional charge is made
the new car had many extras
-
an additional edition of a newspaper, esp to report a new development or crisis
-
films an actor or person temporarily engaged, usually for crowd scenes
-
cricket a run not scored from the bat, such as a wide, no-ball, bye, or leg bye
-
something that is better than usual in quality
adverb
extra-
2
British
prefix
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of extra1
First recorded in 1770–80; by shortening of extraordinary
Origin of extra-2
< Latin, combining form of extrā (adv. and preposition) outside (of ), without
Explanation
Something extra is more than you need or more than you usually have. It's never a bad idea to bake extra chocolate chip cookies. Sometimes extra things are good, like the extra money you made this month or the extra attention you get on your birthday. Other times, they're not so great: nobody needs extra problems or extra traffic. Extra can also be an adverb, meaning "especially" or "unusually," like when your dog behaves extra well or you plan an extra special party for your friend. Extra comes from extraordinary, from the Latin root extra ordinem, "outside normal events."
Vocabulary lists containing extra
Theater - Introductory
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Theater - Middle School
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Theater - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
While Freeman seemed to overcome the knee tendinitis that flared in September, with treatment and a little extra rest, Ohtani still didn’t look like himself entering the playoffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Some could finance more ambitious AI services that consume the extra capacity.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Canteen staff also sometimes help with "an extra plate, a little fruit compote -- something to make it a bit easier", Abdel said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
The character of Lisa Molinari has undergone a transformation from the original Marvel comic book character - known as Coat of Arms - who gains extra arms and weapons from a mystical coat.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Did she think she was going to get extra points for helping me?
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Once the paneling is clean, I then suggested that she very lightly sand the light areas on the paneling with extra- or super-fine sandpaper to just scuff up the existing clear coating.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2022
It turns out that nonbelievers are the ones doing most of the magical thinking when it comes to extra-, intra-, and ultraterrestrial beings.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2021
The second stage of extra- and co-curricular reopening, scheduled for July 20-Aug.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 3, 2020
A wholesale T-shirt company offers sizes small, medium, large, and extra- large in organic or non- organic cotton and colors white, black, gray, blue, and red.
From Textbooks ● Feb. 13, 2015
Adrienne sends you home with three dollars and an extra- large hot chocolate.
From "Goodbye Stranger" by Rebecca Stead
Newcastle carved through Leicester with just under seven minutes left when Ollie Leatherbarrow's bold carry saw him break a tackle as Cameron Jordan went over with Zack Henry adding the extras.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
On top of those savings, I’ll get a lineup of extras at check in, including daily breakfast for two, a $100 resort credit and early check in/late check out if available.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
The sets have too many doors, the scenes have a delirious number of extras and the actors yell their lines over the distracting clatter of crackling fireplaces, beeping machines and ticking clocks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
The extras were wrapped separately and bound with a paper ribbon that read: “We produced these additional samples with your order. They are sent to you, with our thanks.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
They looked like extras who had wandered off the sets of the Malayalam version of Sinbad: The Last Voyage.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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