What does extremely mean?
"Extremely" is an adverb meaning to a very high degree, serving as one of English's most common intensifiers. It strengthens adjectives and other adverbs — as in "extremely hot," "extremely slowly," or "an extremely talented musician" — signalling that the quality described is present in exceptional measure. The word carries a largely neutral tone, appearing naturally in everyday conversation, journalism, academic prose, and technical writing alike. Because it is stronger than plain "very," writers often reserve it for emphasis, letting it mark genuine extremes rather than routine comparisons. Grammatically, it cannot modify nouns directly; instead it qualifies gradable words that admit degrees. Derived from the adjective "extreme," which descends from Latin extremus, meaning outermost or farthest, "extremely" preserves that sense of being pushed to the limit: whatever it describes stands at the very edge of its scale.
adverbTo a very high degree; used to intensify an adjective or another adverb, indicating that a quality is present in the greatest measure.
- To a very high degree or extent; intensely (e.g., "extremely cold").
"The climb was extremely dangerous in the fading light."
"She was extremely grateful for their help during the move."
"The instructions were extremely clear, leaving no room for doubt."
Every time you say "extremely," you're reaching back over two thousand years to Latin extremus — literally "the outermost" — so calling something extremely good is linguistically pushing it to the very edge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extremely
"Extremely" derives from the adjective "extreme," which entered English in the late Middle Ages from Old French, ultimately tracing back to Latin extremus, the superlative of exterus, meaning outward or outer. The Latin root conveys the idea of the outermost point or boundary, which explains why the adverb came to signal the highest possible degree of a quality. It shares this origin with words such as "exterior," "external," and "extraneous."
Related word forms
How extremely is actually used
"Extremely" belongs to formal and neutral registers alike and appears frequently in both speech and writing. It is a strong intensifier, so it suits emphatic statements; stacking it with other intensifiers (as in "very extremely") is considered nonstandard. It modifies adjectives and other adverbs but not verbs of action in ordinary usage.
Easily confused with extremely
"Extremely" is an adverb meaning to a very high degree, while "extremity" is a noun meaning the furthest point or end of something, or a limb of the body.