Word part · Latin prefix
Prefix ultra- words: meaning and 11 examples
In short
The Latin prefix ultra- (from Latin) means "beyond". Words with it include ultraviolet, ultrasound, ultrasounds, ultramarine, ultralight and ultrasonic. Ultra- means past the edge of something: ultraviolet light is beyond the violet end of the colors we can see.
- Part
- ultra-
- Meaning
- beyond
- Origin
- Latin
- Words listed
- 11
Ultra- means past the edge of something: ultraviolet light is beyond the violet end of the colors we can see.
Words with the Latin prefix ultra-
The list runs from shorter, common words to longer ones. The bands are a rough guide built from syllable count and how common each word is in our word list, not a grade-level standard. Read each word, then its word sum.
Colors:prefixroot or basesuffix
Next: longer words (about grades 5 and 6)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ultrasound | ultra (prefix)+sound (root or base)→ultrasound | sound too high to hear, used to see inside the body |
| ultrasounds | ultra (prefix)+sound (root or base)+s (suffix)→ultrasounds | more than one ultrasound |
| ultralight | ultra (prefix)+light (root or base)→ultralight | much lighter than usual |
| ultrathin | ultra (prefix)+thin (root or base)→ultrathin | much thinner than usual |
| ultrafast | ultra (prefix)+fast (root or base)→ultrafast | much faster than usual |
| ultrahigh | ultra (prefix)+high (root or base)→ultrahigh | far higher than usual |
| ultrafine | ultra (prefix)+fine (root or base)→ultrafine | far finer than usual, like very thin thread |
Stretch: long or less common words (about grades 7 and 8)
| Word | Word sum | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| ultraviolet | ultra (prefix)+violet (root or base)→ultraviolet | light beyond violet that we cannot see |
| ultramarine | ultra (prefix)+marine (root or base)→ultramarine | a deep blue color first brought from beyond the sea |
| ultrasonic | ultra (prefix)+sonic (root or base)→ultrasonic | beyond the sounds people can hear |
| ultramodern | ultra (prefix)+modern (root or base)→ultramodern | more modern than most |
How do you teach the prefix ultra-?
Ultra- means beyond, and the best way in is science. Ultraviolet light is beyond the violet end of the rainbow, so we can't see it but it can burn skin. Ultrasound is sound beyond what our ears hear, used to look inside the body. Once students have those two, the everyday words (ultralight, ultrathin) feel easy. They mean much more than usual.
A quick routine
Draw a rainbow strip from red to violet and put an arrow past the violet end. Say, "Ultra means beyond. Light out here is ultraviolet." Then ask, "What would ultrasound be?" Give a hint if needed: past what we can hear. Read four more ultra words and have the student say, "Beyond..." for each one.
What do students mix up with ultra-?
Ultra- and super- can feel the same in ads, where both just mean very. In science words they are exact: ultraviolet is a real band of light beyond violet. Infra- is the opposite end, below (infrared light is below red). Teaching the pair ultraviolet and infrared helps students remember both.
For the sounds inside these words, see the phonics word lists. Routines that fit: meanings of prefixes and suffixes, circle the parts, read the base and flexible routine for big words.
Questions people ask
What does the prefix ultra- mean?
Ultra- means "beyond". It is a Latin prefix. Ultra- means past the edge of something: ultraviolet light is beyond the violet end of the colors we can see.
What are some words with the prefix ultra-?
Start with ultrasound, ultrasounds, ultralight and ultrathin. Then move to ultraviolet and ultramarine. This page lists 11 words in all, most with a word sum that shows the parts.
Why is it called ultraviolet light?
Ultra means beyond. Ultraviolet light sits just past violet, the last color we can see in a rainbow, so our eyes cannot detect it even though it is there.
Related word parts
- super-above, over, or more than usual
- hyper-over, or too much
- trans-across, or from one place to another
- ex-out
- finend, or limit
Terms on this page: morpheme, root, prefix, suffix, base word, word sum, morphology.
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