ultima

Ultima is a Latin term meaning "last" or "final." It is the feminine form of ultimus, the masculine form meaning farthest or last. The word has entered English through scholarly and religious usage and appears in a range of phrases and titles.

The word appears in several established phrases, such as ultima ratio (the final argument or ultimate reason) and ultima Thule, a classical term for the farthest northern land that has passed into literary and exploratory contexts.

In modern times, ultima is best known in popular culture as the title of a long-running series of role-playing video games created by Origin Systems. The Ultima series began with Ultima I in 1981 and became highly influential in the development of computer RPGs, notable for its open-world exploration, moral choices, and narrative depth. Titles such as Ultima IV and Ultima VII are frequently cited as landmarks in the genre, contributing to the evolution of game design and interactive storytelling.

Beyond language and gaming, the term appears in various contexts as a stylistic element or branding, reflecting notions of culmination or extremity. The meaning of ultima is therefore context-dependent: it can denote a linguistic origin, a classical reference, or a modern entertainment property.