penultimate
Americanadjective
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next to the last.
the penultimate scene of the play.
-
of or relating to a penult or the next to the last syllable in a word.
In the word appropriate, -pri- is the penultimate syllable.
noun
adjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of penultimate
Explanation
If something’s the penultimate, then it’s the second to last thing in a series. If you’re watching the penultimate episode of your favorite TV show, you know that there’s only one more episode to go. Penultimate came into English in the 17th century from the Latin word paenultimus, a combination of paene, meaning “almost,” and ultimus, meaning “last.” So if something’s penultimate, it’s “almost last”: more specifically, it’s next to last. If you’re reading a book with 20 chapters, chapter 19 is the penultimate chapter. If you’re a fan of grammar terms, you might already know that penultimate can refer to a word’s next to last syllable, called a penult.
Vocabulary lists containing penultimate
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This Week in Pop Culture: November 10 - 16, 2018
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The album’s penultimate track, “Actress,” is another eight-minute-plus epic, and its movement between whispered folk and thick, dissonant orchestrations is joyful.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
While Tuchel was happy with the overall performance of his players in this penultimate World Cup warm-up match, he was less pleased with the officials.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Powell's term as Fed chair ends in May, making this his penultimate meeting.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
The penultimate track, “Paint by Numbers,” an acoustic ballad with a pretty melody, is a rare aesthetic change-up on the record, but its titular metaphor is ultimately deflating.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
No, M. Chandresh Christophe Lefèvre instead focuses on that penultimate word.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
