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ne plus ultra

[ nee pluhs uhl-truh, ney; Latin ne ploo s oo l-trah ]
/ ˈni ˌplʌs ˈʌl trə, ˈneɪ; Latin ˈnɛ ˌplʊs ˈʊl trɑ /
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noun

the highest point; acme.
the most intense degree of a quality or state.

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RELATED WORDS

extremity, limit, perfection, ultimate, utmost, uttermost

Nearby words

  1. ndola,
  2. ndp,
  3. ndsl,
  4. ndt,
  5. ne,
  6. ne win,
  7. ne win, u,
  8. ne'er,
  9. ne'er-do-well,
  10. ne'erday

Origin of ne plus ultra

1690–1700; < New Latin, Latin nē plūs ultrā (may you) not (go) further beyond (this point)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for ne plus ultra

ne plus ultra

/ Latin (ˈneɪ ˈplʊs ˈʊltrɑː) /

noun

the extreme or perfect point or state

Word Origin for ne plus ultra

literally: not more beyond (that is, go no further), allegedly a warning to sailors inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules at Gibraltar
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for ne plus ultra

ne plus ultra

"utmost limit to which one can go," Latin, literally "no more beyond;" the motto traditionally inscribed on the Pillars of Hercules.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper