Penultimate Definition
penultimate
WOTD - 29 November 2006
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English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Latin paenultimus, from paene (“almost”) + ultimus (“last”).
Pronunciation
- IPA: /pɪˈnʌltɪmət/
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Audio (US) (file)
Adjective
penultimate (not comparable)
- Coming next-to-last in a sequence.
- 1878, Samuel Butler, Life and Habit, ch. 10:
- But it should frequently happen that offspring should resemble its penultimate rather than its latest phase, and should thus be more like a grand-parent than a parent.
- 1913, Jack London, The Valley of the Moon, ch. 3:
- “Your clothes don't weigh more'n seven pounds. And seven from—hum—say one hundred an' twenty-three—one hundred an' sixteen is your stripped weight.”
- But at the penultimate word, Mary cried out with sharp reproof:
- “Why, Billy Roberts, people don't talk about such things.”
- 1878, Samuel Butler, Life and Habit, ch. 10:
- (linguistics) Of or pertaining to a penult.
Synonyms
- (the next-to-last): next-to-last, second last
Derived terms
Related terms
Noun
penultimate (plural penultimates)
- A next-to-last thing.
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