extreme

—extremeness, n.

/ik streem"/, adj., extremer, extremest, n.

adj.

1. of a character or kind farthest removed from the ordinary or average: extreme measures.

2. utmost or exceedingly great in degree: extreme joy.

3. farthest from the center or middle; outermost; endmost: the extreme limits of a town.

4. farthest, utmost, or very far in any direction: an object at the extreme point of vision.

5. exceeding the bounds of moderation: extreme fashions.

6. going to the utmost or very great lengths in action, habit, opinion, etc.: an extreme conservative.

7. last or final: extreme hopes.

8. Chiefly Sports. extremely dangerous or difficult: extreme skiing.

n.

9. the utmost or highest degree, or a very high degree: cautious to an extreme.

10. one of two things as remote or different from each other as possible: the extremes of joy and grief.

11. the furthest or utmost length; an excessive length, beyond the ordinary or average: extremes in dress.

12. an extreme act, measure, condition, etc.: the extreme of poverty.

13. Math.

a. the first or the last term, as of a proportion or series.

b. a relative maximum or relative minimum value of a function in a given region.

14. Logic. the subject or the predicate of the conclusion of a syllogism; either of two terms that are separated in the premises and brought together in the conclusion.

15. Archaic. the utmost point, or extremity, of something.

[1425-75; late ME < L extremus, superl. of exterus outward. See EXTERIOR]

Syn. 2. greatest, highest; superlative. 3. ultimate, last, uttermost, remotest. 6. extravagant, immoderate, excessive, fanatical, uncompromising, unreasonable. See radical.

Ant. 6. moderate.

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