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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

• ultras
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• ultras
  plural

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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”

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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

See Examples For:

ultra ultra- ultras

So with time short, she motivated her players by telling them stories, including one about how ultra marathoners push through pain.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

Musk said the car was equipped with 10 nozzles and "ultra high-pressure air tanks" to propel itself into the air and accelerate quickly on the ground.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Growing demand for premium steelmaking inputs, declining seaborne ore quality, and increasing blending requirements support structurally attractive economics for ultra high-grade iron ore producers.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

There were 141 competitors, and 21% of them were women and 79% men, and race organisers said this was the first occasion an all-female podium was recorded in the UK for a backyard ultra.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Still, in June 1633, during Galileo’s trial, his friend Benedetto Castelli wrote to him, remarking that the Catholic Church seemed to want to establish new columns of Hercules bearing the slogan non plus ultra.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

In particular, she said, “fares for Etihad’s unique, ultra-luxury, ultra- private offering are not subject to discounts or promotional fares.”

From Forbes ● Mar. 8, 2015

For the ultra- dedicated gamer in your life, you can pick up Dragon Age Inquisition, which has a 40 hour story and about 200 hours worth of stuff to do in total.

From Forbes ● Nov. 28, 2014

This type of story, says Michael Hurt, a former English teacher who is now completing a P.H.D. in Seoul, has helped turn teachers into an "easy target" for ultra- nationalists.

From Time ● Dec. 24, 2010

"If you convince people that the Messiah is coming and he doesn't," says Amnon Levy, author of a book on the ultra- Orthodox, "a whole generation may lose its faith."

From Time Magazine Archive

Be sure to moisturize with an ultra- hydrating serum like The Corporation’s new Skin So Right B14 Complex for Total Cell Renewal, made with essential vitamins, minerals, and concentrated yak’s bladder.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

The ultras then set off red pyrotechnics which turned the compass needle back in the direction of the fans.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

The list includes the Green Brigade ultras, a selection of podcasts and long-established groups including Glasgow University Celtic Supporters Club and Craigneuk Tommy Gemmell CSC.

From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026

They organized visits from true-blue French soccer ultras for a cultural exchange: the Europeans taught chants while the Texans taught barbecue.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 27, 2026

The club's ultras stay silent for the first 15 minutes of every match in protest.

From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026

The ultras were thinking much less of the real interests of the monarchy than of their own spites and their personal ambitions.

From The Duchess of Berry and the Court of Charles X by Arthur Léon, baron Imbert de Saint-Amand

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