ultra-competitive
Meaning
extremely competitive; involving or characterized by an intense desire to be more successful than others.
Structure
Usage
the tech industry is an ultra-competitive environment where only the most innovative companies survive.
she trained for years to prepare for the ultra-competitive national championships.
getting into that prestigious university is an ultra-competitive process.
Etymology
the word is a modern english compound formed from the latin prefix 'ultra-' and the adjective 'competitive'. 'ultra-' entered english via latin, where it functioned as an adverb and preposition meaning 'beyond', and was adopted to form adjectives denoting an extreme degree. 'competitive' derives from the latin verb 'competere', meaning 'to strive together, contend', which itself is composed of 'com-' (together) and 'petere' (to aim at, seek). the fusion of these elements creates a term that literally means 'beyond striving together', logically evolving to describe an intensity of rivalry that surpasses the normal level.
Analysis
- ultra: from latin 'ultra', meaning 'beyond, on the other side'. functions as an intensifying prefix. - competitive: from latin 'competere' (to strive together, contend). the suffix '-ive' forms adjectives meaning 'having the nature of'. the base 'compet(e)' means to strive.