English edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Latin nē plūs ultrā.

Pronunciation edit

  • enPR: /nē' plŭs ŭl'trə/

Noun edit

ne plus ultra (plural ne plus ultras)

  1. The highest, ultimate point of achievement which can be reached; perfection.
    • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Success”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. [], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, [], →OCLC, page 74:
      Suppers were the ne plus ultra of human invention; it could go no further, and was obliged to degenerate; dinner is too much matter of business, it is a necessity: now, a necessity is too like a duty ever to be pleasant.
    • November 30, 2014, Julia Kavanagh, Rome: The ‘ne plus ultra’ of Art[1]
      It doesn’t get any better than this because Rome, like Florence, is the ne plus ultra of art.
  2. The perfect or most extreme example of its kind; the ultimate.
  3. (rare) A prohibition against proceeding further; an insuperable obstacle or limiting condition.

Translations edit

Latin edit

Etymology edit

Ellipsis of a subjunctive verb like prōgrediāris (may you advance); or reinterpreted as a negative result clause with ellipsis of fierī possit (so that ... is impossible).

Pronunciation edit

Phrase edit

plūs ultra

  1. Alternative form of nōn plūs ultrā (A warning to not go beyond a certain point.)