1. Highest in intensity or degree: Shirley has been able to withstand extreme pressures as a nurse.
2. Not reasonable; going far beyond what is reasonable, moderate, or normal: Aaron's son had an extreme reaction to the medication that was prescribed by his doctor.
3. Farthest out, especially from the center; most remote in any direction; outermost or farthest: Mark and his family made a trip to the extreme area north of the country.
4. Very strict or severe; of the greatest severity; drastic: While traveling by air, Jake experienced extreme and costly security measures.
5. A description of sports or leisure activities in which participants actively seek out dangerous or even life-threatening experiences.
6. Being in or attaining the greatest or highest degree of something that is very intense: Sometimes people have extreme pleasure or extreme pain.
7. Etymology: from Latin ex-, "out of"; extremus, "outermost, utmost"; superlative of exter, exterus, "on the outside, outward, external, foreign, strange".