What does "penultimate" mean?
A penult, a next to last, particularly
Penultimate
/pɪˈnʌltɪmət/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A penult, a next to last, particularly
- Grammar: penultimate is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: next to last, next-to-last, penult, penult.
- Useful contrasts: second, antepenultimate position, final.
- Usage evidence: First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth... penultimate, last.
How to use "penultimate"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "penultimate" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "penultimate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "penultimate" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "penultimate" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "penultimate" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "next to last" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "penultimate", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A penult, a next to last, particularly uncommon
"Our Lutheran concern for the ultimates (the Gospel) has allowed us to neglect some of the penultimates (bodily healing), failing to stress the total implications of that ultimate Gospel."
- 2 the next to last syllable in a word wordnet
- 3 A penult, a next to last; The penultimate day of a month. obsolete, rare, uncommon
"At Woodstock, the penultimate of August."
- 4 A penult, a next to last; The penultimate syllable of a word or metrical line. uncommon
"Antepenultimate is that before the Penultimate, or the last but two."
- 5 A penult, a next to last; The penultimate element of a collection of curves. obsolete, rare, uncommon
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A penult, a next to last; The penultimate (next to lowest) card in a suit. uncommon
"Penultimate, the. — Beginning with the lowest card but one of the suit you lead originally, if it contains more than four cards."
Adjective
- 1 Next to last, second to last; immediately preceding the end of a sequence, list, etc. UK, literary, not-comparable
"[…] they [the sounds of an echo] next strike the ultimate secondary object, then the penultimate and antepenultimate; […]"
- 2 Of or pertaining to a penult. not-comparable
- 3 Relating to or denoting an element of a related collection of curves that is arbitrarily close to a degenerate form. not-comparable, rare
- 4 pre-eminent, ultimate, best; par excellence, top-quality not-comparable, proscribed
"This Book is the Proud Purple Penultimate!!"
Adjective
- 1 second last wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth... penultimate, last."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "penultimate"?
Common synonyms include: next to last, next-to-last, penult, penult, penult position, penultima.
How do you use "penultimate" in a sentence?
First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth... penultimate, last.
How do you pronounce "penultimate"?
Pronounced /pɪˈnʌltɪmət/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Latin paene Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Italic *-tm̥mos Proto-Italic *oltm̥mos Latin ultimus Latin paenultimus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English penultimate From Latin paenultimus (“penultimate”) + -ate (adjective-forming suffix), from paene (“almost”) + ultimus (“last”). Equivalent to pene- + ultimate. Compare French pénultième.
Etymology 2
From a substantivation of the above adjective. Equivalent to Latin paenultimus + -ate (noun-forming suffix).