Definition of Penultimate

pe·nul·ti·mate /pɪˈnʌltəmɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [pi-nuhl-tuh-mit] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–adjective 1. next to the last: the penultimate scene of the play.
2. of or pertaining to a penult.
–noun 3. a penult.


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[Origin: 1670–80; see penult, ultimate]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source pe·nul·ti·mate (pĭ-nŭl'tə-mĭt) Pronunciation Key
adj.
Next to last.
Linguistics Of or relating to the penult of a word: penultimate stress.

n. The next to the last.


[From Latin paenultimus; see penult.]

pe·nul'ti·mate·ly adv.

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