ne plus ultra

noun

ne plus ul·​tra ˌnā-ˌpləs-ˈəl-trə 

ˌnē-

1

: the highest point capable of being attained : acme

2

: the most profound degree of a quality or state

Did you know?

It is the height, the zenith, the ultimate, the crown, the pinnacle. It is the peak, the summit, the crest, the high-water mark. All these expressions, of course, mean "the highest point attainable." But ne plus ultra may top them all when it comes to expressing in a sophisticated way that something is the pink of perfection. It is said that the term's predecessor, non plus ultra, was inscribed on the Pillars of Heracles at the Strait of Gibraltar, which marked the western end of the classical world. The phrase served as a warning: "(Let there) not (be) more (sailing) beyond." The New Latin version ne plus ultra, meaning "(go) no more beyond," found its way into English in the early 1600s.

Synonyms

• acme
• apex
• apogee
• capstone
• climax
• crescendo
• crest
• crown
• culmination
• head
• height
• high noon
• high-water mark
• meridian
• noon
• noontime
• peak
• pinnacle
• sum
• summit
• tip-top
• top
• zenith

Examples of ne plus ultra in a Sentence

this new sports car is being billed as the ne plus ultra of automotive achievement

Recent Examples on the Web

Through most of the twentieth century, the American steak house was the ne plus ultra of expense-account dining and billfold flexing. —Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025

Consider that the fabled edifice on 125th Street in Harlem has for more than 90 years has been the ne plus ultra showcase for Black talent. —Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

The Academy Awards is, of course, the ne plus ultra of Hollywood tickets, a show so drenched in glitter and glamour that, famously, even the famous sometimes don’t get an invite. —Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025

The spectacle was followed up with a welcome reception at the Wynn’s Art Deco–themed jazz club Delilah, where the rare automotive expressions found a comparable pairing with Napa’s ne plus ultra of wine. —Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, (go) no more beyond

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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