English
ultra
Ultra comes from Latin ultrā ‘beyond’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ol-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEūls‘beyond’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEultrā‘beyond’
- Englishearliest quotation 1828ultra
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ol-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEūls‘beyond’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEultrā‘beyond’
- Englishearliest quotation 1828ultra
Earliest quotation: 1828, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […]: “Her soirées were among the most agreeable at Paris—she…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
as, all, old, else, el, element, alien, adult, ultimate, elder, ellen, alternate, alumni, qualification, ou, alter, altitude, alpine, adolescent, altar, abolish, alias, alt, alum, alto, alibi, retaliate, alimony, alp, proletariat, parallax, coalesce, auld, foetal, altruism, ulterior, aad, eld, exalt, althea, 66 more
through Latin ultrā ‘beyond’
Today it means
adj Extreme; far beyond the norm; fanatical; uncompromising.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / ultra