extremity
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the furthest part or the very end of something.
the furthest point or limit of a physical object or geographical area.
Simple“The lighthouse stands at the northern extremity of the island.”
In context“The explorers finally reached the southern extremity of the continent after months of navigating through treacherous ice fields.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a hand or a foot; the parts of your body furthest from the center.
a limb or distal appendage of the body, specifically a hand or foot.
Simple“In very cold weather, you must protect your extremities like your fingers and toes.”
In context“The patient reported a tingling sensation in their extremities, particularly in the fingertips and soles of the feet.”
UsageUsually used in the plural form 'extremities'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
a state of great danger, pain, or very strong feeling.
the highest degree of a quality, or a state of extreme necessity, suffering, or intense emotion.
Simple“The refugees suffered the extremity of hunger during their long journey.”
In context“Driven to the last extremity by the siege, the city was forced to negotiate a surrender to avoid further starvation.”
Antonyms
“The Boy of Cerro El Plomo, as he is known, showed no evidence of freezing prior to death, or any cold-related injuries to his extremities.”
From Middle English extremite, from Old French extremité, from Latin extrēmitātem (“extremity; border, perimeter; ending”), from extrēmīs (“furthest, extreme”) + -itās (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -teh₂ts (suffix forming nouns indicating a state of being); see extreme. Extrēmīs is derived from exter (“external, outward”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁eǵʰs (“out”)) + -issimus (superlative suffix) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -is- (comparative suffix) + -(t)m̥mo- (absolutive case suffix)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.