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Because it can mean both "best" and "final," the word "ultimate" might make you scratch your head a bit. But now that we've defined the adjectives, it should be easy to come up with both definitions of the noun ultimacy.
So: something ultimate is last; something penultimate is second-to-last; something antepenultimate is third-to-last; something preantepenultimate is fourth-to-last. (When will the madness end?) These are real words, but I recommend using them only for humor.
make your point with...
"PENULTIMATE"
From Latin roots meaning "almost final," penultimate means "next to last." Although this word has specific meanings in math, grammar, poetry, and card games, all of those specific meanings boil down to one general meaning: "not last, but second to last."
Pronunciation:
puh NULL tuh mut
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late."
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in "a penultimate thing."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was penultimate.")
Other common forms:
None.
The adverb, "penultimately," is recognized by some dictionaries, but I doubt you'll ever need it.
How to use it:
Because there's no need to say "penultimate" when you can just say "next-to-last" or "second to the last," you might decide to save this word for pseudo-intellectual humor. On the other hand, a lot of people love this word and swap it in for "second-to-last" at every opportunity--I'm looking at you, sportswriters.
So if you're kidding, or if unnecessarily fancy Latin-based terms are your thing, then talk about the penultimate item or event in a series, the penultimate step in a sequence, the penultimate day in a predetermined series of days, the penultimate game of a season, the penultimate chapter in a book, the penultimate track on an album, the penultimate episode of a television show, the penultimate scene in a movie, etc.
Okay: if something penultimate is not final but almost final, and if an ultimatum is a final threat, can you issue someone a penultimatum?
You bet. Check out this example from a 1913 New York Times article: "The United States Communication to General Huerta appears to have been a 'penultimatum,' instead of an ultimatum."
examples:
"Make America Great Again"--what a pity that the most emphatic word in this slogan fell into the penultimate position. Doesn't "Make America Great" sound better?
We used to listen to The Monkees albums on tape, and if we wanted to hear that penultimate song on Side 2, we had to hold down the fast-forward button, occasionally releasing it to check where we were, until we got there. Worth it!
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "penultimate" means when you can explain it without saying "second-last in a series" or "the one right before the final one."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "_____ is just the penultimate step. The ultimate step is _____."
Example: "Getting a good grade on the test is just the penultimate step. The ultimate step is maintaining that knowledge permanently in your memory."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
License Plate Words!
You’ve spotted a cluster of three letters on a license plate. Keep all three letters together—don’t insert any letters between them—but add any letters you like to the left and/or right of the cluster to form words.
For example, when you spot the cluster CKG, you can form BACKGROUND and BACKGAMMON (and all their related words, like BACKGROUNDER and BACKGAMMONING, for a total of 8 possible words).
We’ll move from easy to hard clusters as the month goes on. (For the curious, you can generate a complete list of answers using a tool like this one.) Let's play!
Our previous question:
If you spot the cluster XTA, you can use it to form 25 words. Give yourself a minute or so. How many can you think of?
Possible answers:
You may have thought of EXTANT, FOXTAIL, JUXTAPOSE, OXTAIL, and/or SEXTANT.
Try this today:
If you spot the cluster DEQ, you can use it to form 16 words, though most of these are various forms of a single word. Give yourself a minute or so. Can you think of it?
review today's word:
1. One close opposite of PENULTIMATE is
A. PLACED GINGERLY
B. PLACED EVERYWHERE
C. PLACED SECOND
2. Readers were _____ when the _____ in the penultimate chapter of Book 1.
A. relieved .. tension grew
B. bewildered .. narrator died
C. mystified .. villain suffered a setback
Answers are below.
a final word:
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. C
2. B
Because it can mean both "best" and "final," the word "ultimate" might make you scratch your head a bit. But now that we've defined the adjectives, it should be easy to come up with both definitions of the noun ultimacy.
"PENULTIMATE" From Latin roots meaning "almost final," penultimate means "next to last." Although this word has specific meanings in math, grammar, poetry, and card games, all of those specific meanings boil down to one general meaning: "not last, but second to last." Part of speech:
"Make America Great Again"--what a pity that the most emphatic word in this slogan fell into the penultimate position. Doesn't "Make America Great" sound better?
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "penultimate" means when you can explain it without saying "second-last in a series" or "the one right before the final one."
Fill in the blanks: "_____ is just the penultimate step. The ultimate step is _____."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. One close opposite of PENULTIMATE is
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com
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