Origin: Latin suffix -sion
Extension has 13 different meanings across 1 category:
a mutually agreed delay in the date set for the completion of a job or payment of a debt
"they applied for an extension of the loan"
act of expanding in scope; making more widely available
"extension of the program to all in need"
the spreading of something (a belief or practice) into new regions
"The rapid extension of our community's recycling program to neighboring towns has made a significant difference in local waste reduction efforts."
an educational opportunity provided by colleges and universities to people who are not enrolled as regular students
"The university offered a summer extension program that allowed working professionals to take courses without becoming full-time degree candidates."
act of stretching or straightening out a flexed limb
"After holding his leg in a bent position for too long, he slowly performed an extension to stretch it back out."
a string of characters beginning with a period and followed by one or more letters; the optional second part of a PC computer filename
"most applications provide extensions for the files they create"
"most BASIC files use the filename extension .BAS"
the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to
"the extension of `satellite of Mars' is the set containing only Demos and Phobos"
the ability to raise the working leg high in the air
"the dancer was praised for her uncanny extension"
"good extension comes from a combination of training and native ability"
amount or degree or range to which something extends
"the wire has an extension of 50 feet"
an additional telephone set that is connected to the same telephone line
"When I'm on a conference call, I ask my assistant to put me through to her extension so we can discuss the details privately."
an addition to the length of something
"After adding a long extension cord, they were finally able to plug in their projector for the outdoor movie."
The act of extending; a stretching out; enlargement in length, breadth, or time; an increase
"After the rainstorm delayed our departure by three hours, we needed to request an extension on our flight booking."
In plain English: An extension is something added to make an existing thing bigger or longer.
"She asked for an extension on her loan repayment date."
Usage: An extension refers to something added to make a period longer or an object larger, such as extending a deadline or using a telephone cord. Avoid confusing it with the verb "extend," which describes the action of making something longer rather than the resulting addition itself.
The word extension entered English via the Old French estension and ultimately derives from the Latin extensiō. It originally referred to the act of stretching out or spreading wide before taking on its modern meaning.