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extremity

/ɛkˈstrɛmɪɾi/

/ɛkˈstrɛmɪti/

IPA guide

Other forms: extremities

An extremity is a limb or appendage of the body, particularly the hands and feet. If the weather is cold, you have to be sure to protect your extremities from frostbite by wearing gloves, warm socks, and boots.

The noun extremity also means the outermost point or part — the one that's farthest away. Nauset Light Beach on Cape Cod, for example, is the easternmost extremity in the state of Massachusetts. Extremity can also refer to the greatest degree, especially of an emotion or physical feeling. The extremity of the pain in your ankle might make you realize you should go to the emergency room for x-rays.

Definitions of extremity
  1. noun
    the outermost or farthest region or point
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    bound, boundary, bounds
    the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something
    end, terminal
    either extremity of something that has length
    extreme, extreme point, extremum
    the point located farthest from the middle of something
    limit
    as far as something can go
    bitter end
    (nautical) the inboard end of a line or cable especially the end that is wound around a bitt
    bitthead
    the upper end of a bitt
    heel
    the lower end of a ship's mast
    point
    sharp end
    magnetic pole, pole
    one of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated
    railhead
    the end of the completed track on an unfinished railway
    terminus
    either end of a railroad or bus route
    yardarm
    either end of the yard of a square-rigged ship
    hairline
    the natural margin formed by hair on the head
    nerve end, nerve ending
    the terminal structure of an axon that does not end at a synapse
    telomere
    either (free) end of a eukaryotic chromosome
    heel
    one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread
    frontier
    an international boundary or the area (often fortified) immediately inside the boundary
    heliopause
    the boundary marking the edge of the sun's influence; the boundary (roughly 100 AU from the sun) between the interplanetary medium and the interstellar medium; where the solar wind from the sun and the radiation from other stars meet
    border, borderline, boundary line, delimitation, mete
    a line that indicates a boundary
    bourn, bourne
    an archaic term for a boundary
    district line
    the boundary between two districts
    county line
    the boundary between two counties
    city line
    the boundary of a city
    border, edge
    the boundary of a surface
    end
    a boundary marking the extremities of something
    end point, endpoint, termination, terminus
    a place where something ends or is complete
    destination, finish, goal
    the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
    demarcation, demarcation line, limit
    the boundary of a specific area
    maximum
    the point on a curve where the tangent changes from positive on the left to negative on the right
    minimum
    the point on a curve where the tangent changes from negative on the left to positive on the right
    lineation, outline
    the line that appears to bound an object
    range, reach
    the limits within which something can be effective
    surface
    the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object
    tip
    the extreme end of something, especially something pointed
    acme, apex, peak, vertex, zenith
    the highest point (of something)
    shoreline
    a boundary line between land and water
    type of:
    part, region
    the extended spatial location of something
  2. noun
    the greatest or utmost degree
    “the extremity of despair”
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    ultimacy, ultimateness
    the state or degree of being ultimate; the final or most extreme in degree or size or time or distance, "the ultimacy of these social values"
  3. noun
    an external body part that projects from the body
    “it is important to keep the extremities warm”
    synonyms: appendage, member
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    chelicera
    either of the first pair of fang-like appendages near the mouth of an arachnid; often modified for grasping and piercing
    mouthpart
    any part of the mouth of an insect or other arthropod especially one adapted to a specific way of feeding
    fang
    an appendage of insects that is capable of injecting venom; usually evolved from the legs
    chela, claw, nipper, pincer
    a grasping structure on the limb of a crustacean or other arthropods
    parapodium
    one of a pair of fleshy appendages of a polychete annelid that functions in locomotion and breathing
    fin
    organ of locomotion and balance in fishes and some other aquatic animals
    pleopod, swimmeret
    one of the paired abdominal appendages of certain aquatic crustaceans that function primarily for carrying the eggs in females and are usually adapted for swimming
    limb
    one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
    dactyl, digit
    a finger or toe in human beings or corresponding body part in other vertebrates
    toxicognath
    either of a pair of poison fangs in the modified front pair of legs of the centipede
    hind limb, hindlimb
    a posterior appendage such as a leg or the homologous structure in other animals
    forelimb
    the front limb (or the homologous structure in other animals, such as a flipper or wing)
    flipper
    the flat broad limb of aquatic animals specialized for swimming
    dorsal fin
    unpaired median fin on the backs of fishes and some other aquatic vertebrates that help to maintain balance
    pectoral fin
    either of a pair of fins situated just behind the head in fishes that help control the direction of movement
    pelvic fin, ventral fin
    either of a pair of fins attached to the pelvic girdle in fishes that help control the direction of movement; correspond to hind limbs of a land vertebrate
    caudal fin, tail fin
    the tail of fishes and some other aquatic vertebrates
    leg
    a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
    crus
    the leg from the knee to foot
    leg
    a structure in animals that is similar to a human leg and used for locomotion
    thigh
    the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
    arm
    a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
    cubitus
    the arm from the elbow to the fingertips
    forearm
    the part of the superior limb between the elbow and the wrist
    minimus
    the fifth digit; the little finger or little toe
    finger
    any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
    toe
    one of the digits of the foot
    mandible
    either of the two mouthparts used by arthropods to hold and bite food
    type of:
    external body part
    any body part visible externally
  4. noun
    that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso
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    pedal extremity, vertebrate foot
    the extremity of the limb in vertebrates
    hand, manus, mitt, paw
    the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
    finger
    any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
    toe
    one of the digits of the foot
    animal foot, foot
    the pedal extremity of vertebrates other than human beings
    foot, human foot, pes
    the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
    clenched fist, fist
    a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
    hooks, maulers, meat hooks
    large strong hand (as of a fighter)
    right, right hand
    the hand that is on the right side of the body
    left, left hand
    the hand that is on the left side of the body
    pollex, thumb
    the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
    forefinger, index, index finger
    the finger next to the thumb
    annualry, ring finger
    the third finger (especially of the left hand)
    middle finger
    the second finger; between the index finger and the ring finger
    little finger, pinkie, pinky
    the finger farthest from the thumb
    big toe, great toe, hallux
    the first largest innermost toe
    hammertoe
    a deformed toe which is bent in a clawlike arch
    little toe
    the fifth smallest outermost toe
    type of:
    external body part
    any body part visible externally
  5. noun
    an extreme condition or state (especially of adversity or disease)
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    bitter end
    the final extremity (however unpleasant it may be)
    type of:
    adversity, hard knocks, hardship
    a state of misfortune or affliction
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