Question

If you add the suffix -ity to the adjective extreme, meaning “exceeding usual limits,” what part of speech results, and what is the new meaning?


adjective, meaning “greatly limited”
verb, meaning “to carry beyond usual limits”
adverb, meaning “in a manner that exceeds usual limits”
noun, meaning “state that exceeds usual limits”

Answer 1

This would now be an adverb because it’s explaining the action verb. If you were to say “she has taken exercising to a new extremity,” the extremity is explaining the manner the action verb is in, making the most sense. The noun is “she,” the verb is “exercising” so the only option left really is for it to be an adverb.