noun · countable / uncountable

ultraleft

ultraleft · ultralefts

The strain or strains of leftism often associated with left communism, which practice…The strain or strains of leftism often associated with left communism, which practice rejection of both social democracy and state socialism as well as opposition to Leninism; i.e, ultraleftism.

/ˌʌl.tɹəˈlɛft/

Meaning

6 senses

(collective, uncountable, usually)The strain or strains of leftism often associated with left communism, which practice rejection of both social democracy and state socialism as well as opposition to Leninism; i.e, ultraleftism.
(uncountable, usually)The left communist tendency characterized by a synthesis of Dutch-German council communism and Italian left communism.
(broadly, uncountable, usually)Italian left communism; Bordigism.
(derogatory, uncountable, usually)Leftism collectively considered uncompromising and sectarian, especially anti-Leninist Marxism.
(countable, rare, usually)An adherent of ultraleftism.
(uncountable, usually)The most extreme ideologies of the political left.

Origin

Ultimately a calque of Russian ультралевый (ulʹtralevyj, “ultraleft”, adjective), in the s

Ultimately a calque of Russian ультралевый (ulʹtralevyj, “ultraleft”, adjective), in the sense of "pertaining to extreme or uncompromising leftist ideology." From ультра- (ulʹtra-, “ultra; extremely”) + левый (levyj, “left”, adjective), equivalent to ultra- + left. Originally applied pejoratively by the Bolsheviks against libertarian socialists and early left communists, and later by Stalinists against Trotskyists; now also used neutrally to refer to certain ideologies associated with left communism or traditional Marxism. The modern meanings are partially semantically loaned from French ultra-gauche.

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