ultra-liberal
Meaning
holding extremely liberal political or social views, especially beyond the mainstream.
Structure
Usage
the candidate's ultra-liberal policies appealed to the party's progressive base.
critics accused the newspaper of promoting an ultra-liberal agenda.
his ultra-liberal views on social issues often sparked debate within the more conservative community.
Etymology
the word is a modern english compound formed by combining the latin prefix 'ultra-' with the adjective 'liberal'. 'ultra', meaning 'beyond', has been used in english since the 19th century to form adjectives denoting an extreme degree of a quality. 'liberal' originates from the latin 'liber', meaning 'free', evolving through 'liberalis' to describe attitudes or policies favoring freedom and progress. thus, 'ultra-liberal' literally constructs the meaning of 'being liberal to a degree that is beyond the conventional or mainstream', emphasizing an extreme position on the political spectrum.
Analysis
- ultra: from latin 'ultra', meaning 'beyond, on the other side of'. functions as an intensifying prefix. - liberal: from latin 'liberalis', meaning 'of freedom, befitting a free person'. functions as the root adjective.