Prefix · beyond / extreme
Signals beyond normal limits or an extreme degree: ultraviolet, ultrasound, ultramarathon.
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Ultra- comes from Latin "ultra" (beyond, on the other side) and signals that something goes beyond normal limits or is at an extreme degree: ultraviolet = radiation beyond the visible spectrum (beyond violet); ultrasound = sound at a frequency beyond the human audible range; ultramarathon = a race beyond the standard marathon distance; ultra-conservative = conservative to an extreme degree.
In political discourse, ultra- signals extreme ideological positions: ultra-left, ultra-right, ultra-nationalist. It carries a connotation of excess or fanaticism. In Spanish, "ultra" alone is used as a noun for people with extreme political positions. In technology: ultra-high-definition (UHD), ultra-thin, ultra-portable.
Attaches to nouns and adjectives. Identical in Spanish and English:
Pronunciation: /ˈʌltrə/. Identical in Spanish and English. Hyphenated when preceding adjectives or in informal use.
ultra-/ˈʌltrə/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Ultraviolet radiation is divided into UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA penetrates deeper into skin (ageing). UVB causes sunburn and activates vitamin D. UVC is absorbed by the atmosphere. UV also has beneficial uses: disinfection, forensic analysis, banknote authentication. Not all UV is harmful.
"Ultrasound" is any sound with a frequency above 20,000 Hz (the upper limit of human hearing). Applications include: medical imaging (pregnancy, organs), jewellery and equipment cleaning, structural crack detection, bat and dolphin navigation, and plastic welding.
A trick to remember it
Ultra- = "beyond" or "to an extreme degree": ultraviolet = beyond the visible spectrum, ultrasound = beyond the audible range, ultramarathon = beyond the standard distance, ultra-conservative = to an extreme degree. Identical in Spanish and English. In politics, ultra- implies excess or fanaticism.
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"The sunscreen offers protection against ___ radiation, which can damage skin even on cloudy days."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
What does "ultra-" signal when used with political adjectives like "ultra-conservative"?
The prefix ultra- signals beyond normal limits or an extreme degree: ultraviolet, ultrasound, ultramarathon. In Spanish it usually maps to ultra-.
The prefix ultra- is pronounced /ˈʌltrə/. For example, "ultraviolet".
"violet" becomes "ultraviolet". It is a typical example of the ultra- prefix.
Signals outside of, beyond, or in an additional degree: extraordinary, extraterrestrial, extracurricular.
Signals excess or a level above normal: hyperactive, hypertension, hyperbole, hyperlink.
Signals a superior level or top quality: superhero, supernatural, supermarket, superhuman.
un-, re-, pre-, dis-, over-, in-... every beginning you need to unlock thousands of English words at once.