English Reference

Word

ultra

Phoneticsul·tra

US/ˈəɫtɹə/

UK/ˈʌltɹɐ/

Definitions

01extreme

B2

adj. extreme or going far beyond what is normal.

adj. going beyond the usual limit; extreme or uncompromising in nature.

“The group holds ultra-conservative views that many people find too extreme.”

“His ultra-radical approach to corporate restructuring alienated the more traditional members of the board, leading to a public dispute.”

Antonyms

02an extremist

C1

n. a person who has very extreme political or social opinions.

n. an extremist, especially in a political context; one who advocates for uncompromising or radical policies.

“The political party was split between the moderates and the ultras.”

“The government faced significant pressure from the party's ultras, who refused to accept any compromise on the proposed tax reforms.”

Formal

Synonyms

Antonyms

03dedicated sports fan

B2 · Sport

n. a very passionate and organised football fan who often uses flags and fireworks at games.

n. a highly organised and fanatical football supporter, often associated with elaborate displays and intense loyalty.

“The ultras stayed in the stadium long after the game to cheer for their team.”

“The club was fined after a group of ultras set off flares during the championship match, violating safety regulations.”

Synonyms

04ultramarathon

B2 · Sport

n. a race that is longer than a normal marathon.

n. an ultramarathon; any footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres.

“She is training for her first hundred-mile ultra in the mountains.”

“Completing a mountain ultra requires not only physical stamina but also immense mental resilience to cope with the extreme elevation changes.”

Informal

Synonyms

endurance race

Real-World Examples

“It’s odd to look at the north terrace and think about the hours I spent in there feeling as if I was part of a Galatasaray-style set of ultras.”
The Guardian · 27 Aug 2026

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Latin ūls Proto-Indo-European *-teros? Latin -ter Old Latin -ād Latin -ā Latin ultrābor. English ultra From Latin ultra.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference