extremity
UK[ɪkˈstrɛmɪti]US[ɪkˈstrɛmɪti]
n
The furthest point or limit of something.
n
The hands and feet.
n
The degree or intensity of something, especially a difficult or unpleasant situation.
Morpheme Breakdown
extrem
ity
extrem
outermost
ity
state or quality
Etymology
The word 'extremity' originates from the Latin extremitas, which itself derives from extremus, meaning "outermost" or "farthest out." This Latin root is the superlative of exter ("outer"), tracing further back to the Proto-Indo-European root eghs-, meaning "out." The suffix '-ity' was added to form a noun describing the state or quality of being at the outermost limit. Over time, this literal sense of the farthest physical point expanded metaphorically to denote the utmost degree of intensity in a situation and, by anatomical association, the outermost parts of the body—the hands and feet.
Analysis
Structure: extrem (outermost) + ity (state or quality)
'extrem' is from Latin extremus, the superlative form of exter meaning "outer." The suffix '-ity' is from Latin -itas, forming nouns denoting a state or condition.
Examples
The explorers reached the northern extremity of the island.
Frostbite can affect the extremities in cold weather.
The situation was resolved before it could reach an extremity.