Penultimate
/pɪˈnʌltɪmət/
Definitions
Coming immediately before the last; second to last.
/pɪˈnʌltɪmət/
Second to last in a sequence
The speaker saved the most important point for the penultimate slide.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're in a race. The *penultimate* lap is the one before the final, exciting lap! It’s the second to last, the one you prepare to make your final push!
👶 For kids: The second to last thing in a group of things.
More Examples
We are eagerly anticipating the penultimate episode of the series.
The penultimate scene of the play was filled with suspense.
How It's Used
"The penultimate chapter of the book was the most exciting."
"He won the penultimate race of the season, securing his championship lead."
From Latin *paenultimus* (“almost last”), a combination of *paene* (“almost”) and *ultimus* (“last”).
The term was frequently used in classical literature to denote the point just before completion.
Memory tip
Think of a PEN (almost the end) before the ULTIMATE (last) result.