plus ultra

Latin

Emblems of Charles V of Spain in the Town Hall of Seville.

Etymology

Literally, “further beyond”, a reversal of nōn plūs ultra (“nothing further beyond”), adopted as personal motto of Charles V following the discovery of the New World.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /pluːs ˈul.traː/, [pɫ̪uːs̠ ˈʊɫ̪t̪räː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /plus ˈul.tra/, [plus ˈul̪t̪rä]

Phrase

plūs ultra

1. (Go) further beyond; (by extension) take risks.

Further reading

• plus ultra on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin plūs ultra.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌplus ˈultɾa/ [ˌplus ˈul̪.t̪ɾa]
• Syllabification: plus ul‧tra

Noun

plus ultra m (uncountable)

1. great beyond

Adverb

plus ultra

1. further beyond

Further reading

• “plus ultra”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28
• “plus ultra” in Diccionario panhispánico de dudas, segunda edición, Real Academia Española, 2023. →ISBN