ultraportable

ultraportable

UK[ˌʌltrəˈpɔːtəbl̩]US[ˌʌltrəˈpɔːrtəbl̩]
adj

extremely light and compact, and therefore easy to carry or move.

Morpheme Breakdown

ultra
portable
ultra

beyond

portable

able to be carried

Etymology

the term 'ultraportable' is a modern compound, primarily from the late 20th century, created to describe technology that pushes beyond the standard limits of portability. its first element, 'ultra-', is a latin preposition and prefix meaning 'beyond', which entered english via french in the 18th century as an intensifier. the second element, 'portable', has a long lineage from latin 'portare' (to carry), combined with the adjectival suffix '-abilis', forming 'portabilis'. the word 'portable' itself passed into english from old french in the 14th century. thus, 'ultraportable' literally and logically means 'able to be carried beyond the ordinary degree', perfectly capturing its meaning of exceptional lightness and compactness for easy transport.

Analysis

Structure: ultra (beyond) + portable (able to be carried) - ultra: from latin 'ultra', meaning 'beyond, on the other side of'. functions as an intensifying prefix. - portable: from latin 'portare' (to carry) + the suffix '-abilis' (able to be). functions as the core adjective meaning 'able to be carried'.

Examples

the new laptop is marketed as an ultraportable device for frequent travelers.

despite its ultraportable design, the camera does not compromise on image quality.

the demand for ultraportable electronics continues to drive innovation in battery and material science.