penultimate

Penultimate is a term used to indicate the second from last item in a sequence. It is most commonly used as an adjective, as in the penultimate chapter of a book or the penultimate game of a season. The noun form is less common; many writers instead use penult to refer to the second-to-last item.

Origin and etymology: The word comes from Latin paenultimus, meaning almost last, formed from paene (almost) and ultimus (last). It entered English through Latin and Old French during the Early Modern period. The term reflects the sense of being just before the final element.

Related terms and usage notes: Penultimate contrasts with ultimate (last) and antepenultimate (third from last). The prefix ante- means before, so antepenultimate literally means before the penultimate. In linguistics, penultimate also describes the second-to-last syllable of a word, as in discussions of stress patterns or syllabification.

Examples: The penultimate chapter of the novel reveals the primary twist. The penultimate race determined the overall winner. In linguistics, researchers may refer to the penultimate syllable when analyzing word stress or pronunciation.

Overall, penultimate is a precise, neutral term used across disciplines to denote the position directly before the final element in a sequence, whether discussing literature, events, or linguistic structure.