ultérieures

Ultérieures is the feminine plural form of the French adjective ultérieur. It denotes things that come after a referenced point in time or order, meaning later or subsequent. The term is commonly used in formal or written French, especially in historical, legal, scientific, or analytical contexts, to contrast with things that occur earlier (antérieur).

Etymology and sense

Ultérieur derives from Latin ulterius, related to ulter, meaning farther or beyond. In French, the root evolved into the adjective ultérieur, with the feminine form ultérieure and the plural forms ultérieurs (masculine) and ultérieures (feminine). The word carries a more precise sense of sequence or chronology than more general words for “later,” and it is often employed to emphasize a point in time that succeeds another.

Forms and usage

The full paradigm includes: masculin singulier ultérieur; féminin singulier ultérieure; masculin pluriel ultérieurs; féminin pluriel ultérieures. The plural feminine form, ultérieures, is used with feminine nouns, as in périodes ultérieures (later periods) or années ultérieures (subsequent years). In many contexts, it sits alongside antonyms like antérieur or synonyms such as postérieur, suivant, or ultérieurement when used as an adverb.

Examples

Les périodes ultérieures de l’histoire ont été marquées par des changements rapides. Dans les générations ultérieures, ces effets se sont amplifiés. Cette analyse porte sur les événements ultérieurs au traité.

See also

Antérieur, postérieur, suivant, ultérieurement. English equivalents include later, subsequent, or more distant in time.