n.
Pronunciation: ik- ' str ē m
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin extremus, superlative of exter, exterus being on the outside ― more at EXTERIOR
Date: 15th century
1 a : existing in a very high degree < extreme poverty> b : going to great or exaggerated lengths : RADICAL <went on an extreme diet> c : exceeding the ordinary, usual, or expected < extreme weather conditions>
2 archaic : LAST
3 : situated at the farthest possible point from a center <the country's extreme north>
4 a : most advanced or thoroughgoing <the extreme political left> b : MAXIMUM
5 a : of, relating to, or being an outdoor activity or a form of a sport (as skiing) that involves an unusually high degree of physical risk < extreme mountain biking down steep slopes> b : involved in an extreme sport <an extreme snowboarder>
synonyms see EXCESSIVE
– ex · treme · ness noun