4 syllables: ex, trem, i, ty. Stress on trem.
ek-STREM-uh-tee
/ɛksˈtɹɛməti/
extremity is pronounced ek-STREM-uh-tee (/ɛksˈtɹɛməti/). It has four syllables (ex-trem-i-ty), with the stress on "trem". Extremity refers to the farthest point or limit of something, or to a limb of the body. It denotes a boundary or outer edge, often used in medical, physical, or metaphorical contexts. The term emphasizes distance, extremeness, or the outermost part of a structure or organism.
Extremity refers to the farthest point or limit of something, or to a limb of the body. It denotes a boundary or outer edge, often used in medical, physical, or metaphorical contexts. The term emphasizes distance, extremeness, or the outermost part of a structure or organism.
"The hiking trail ends at the extremity of the cliff, where the view becomes perilous."
"In medical exams, doctors assess the extremities for circulation and sensation."
"She wore gloves to protect her hands at the cold extreme of winter—the extremities of the season."
You pronounce it as ɪkˈstrɛmɪti with the main stress on the second syllable. Start with a short, unstressed 'ek' cluster, then a strong /ˈstrɛm/ syllable, followed by a light /-ɪti/ ending. Think: eck-STREM-ih-tee. In careful speech, the first vowel is a lax short i (as in “kit”) and the second vowel in ‘extreme’-like /strɛm/ is a solid mid-low vowel. Mouth positions: lips neutral, tongue relaxed for /ɪ/, then tight around /r/ and /t/.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (putting it on the first syllable: /ˈɛkstrɛməti/), pronouncing /strɛm/ without the proper cluster, and softening the /t/ into a d-like sound in rapid speech. Correct by valuing the middle syllable as the peak: /ɪkˈstrɛmɪti/. Also avoid saying /ekˈstriməti/ where the /str/ cluster is simplified. Practice the /str/ together: don’t split the cluster; keep /str/ intact, then release with a clear /e/.
In US English, you’ll hear /ɪkˈstrɛmɪti/ with a flatter /ə/ in the second unstressed syllable and rhotic /r/. UK English often shifts toward /ɪkˈstriːmətɪ/ or /ɪkˈstrɛmɪti/ with a longer second vowel in some speakers, and non-rhotic tendencies may reduce the /r/. Australian tends to align with US patterns but with vowel quality shifts (slightly broader /ɪ/ and /i/ sounds) and a more pronounced mouth opening in the /æ/ of nearby words. Overall, the primary stress remains on the second syllable across accents.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /str/ following a vowel and the two short unstressed syllables after the stressed /ˈstrɛm/. The sequence /ˈstrɛmɪti/ requires precise tongue motion: the /s/ and /t/ must be released with minimal ventral movement, and the /ɪ/ vowels should be quick and relaxed. Also, the final /i/ syllable needs a light, crisp tongue position to avoid dragging into a long vowel. Slow down the second half at first to stabilize the rhythm.
Note the stress pattern and the vowel quality in the second syllable: /ɪkˈstrɛmɪti/ vs sometimes /ɪkˈstriːmeti/ in some British speakers. Ensure the middle vowel is the emphasized /ɛm/ portion, not a reduced pronunciation like /ekSTRI-/. The key is keeping the /str/ cluster intact and the /-mɪti/ ending short and crisp. Visualize a short beat on the stressed syllable to lock in the rhythm.
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Extremity derives from Latin extremus, meaning ‘outermost, at the end,’ from ex- ‘out’ + stremus, related to ‘stremus’ (stremus is not a fully attested stem but relates closely to ‘strem,’ historically tied to standing at the far edge). The word entered English via Middle French extrémité and Old French extrémité, with the English form stabilizing in the 15th century. Its early senses were literal, referring to the outermost part of a thing or body. Over time, the meaning broadened to include figurative extremes (most distant moments, utmost states) and specialized senses in medical and anatomical contexts. The term retained the sense of boundary and distance, and in modern usage is common in both literal (limb or edge) and figurative discussions of limits, reaches, or far ends of a spectrum. The spelling and pronunciation have remained relatively stable, with emphasis often placed on the second syllable in standard usage. First known use in English appears in the 1400s in legal and anatomical texts, later appearing in medical literature as a descriptor for limb extremities and later for metaphorical limits. The word’s journey reflects its core meaning: the furthest point away from the center, whether a limb, edge, or figurative boundary.
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Words that rhyme with "extremity"
-ity sounds
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