{ ‖ } n. [ L. antepaenultima (sc. syllaba) antepenultimate; ante before + paenultimus the last but one; paene almost + ultimus last. ] (Pros.) The last syllable of a word except two, as -syl- in monosyllable. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to the last syllable but two. -- n. The antepenult. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. (sc. syllaba), fr. penultimus, paenultimus, the last but one; paene almost + ultimus the last. ] Same as Penult. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Last but one; as, the penultimate syllable, the last syllable but one of a word. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The penult. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Being or indicating the fourth syllable from the end of a word, or that before the antepenult. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fem. of ultimus last. ] (Gram. & Pros.) The last syllable of a word. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ L., fem. of ultimus last. ] Most remote; furthest; final; last. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ultima ratio [ L. ], the last reason or argument; the last resort. --
Ultima Thule. [ L. ] See Thule. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ LL. ultimatus last, extreme, fr. L. ultimare to come to an end, fr. ultimus the farthest, last, superl. from the same source as ulterior. See Ulterior, and cf. Ultimatum. ] 1. Farthest; most remote in space or time; extreme; last; final. [ 1913 Webster ]

My harbor, and my ultimate repose. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Many actions apt to procure fame are not conductive to this our ultimate happiness. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Last in a train of progression or consequences; tended toward by all that precedes; arrived at, as the last result; final. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those ultimate truths and those universal laws of thought which we can not rationally contradict. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Incapable of further analysis; incapable of further division or separation; constituent; elemental; as, an ultimate particle; an ultimate constituent of matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ultimate analysis (Chem.), organic analysis. See under Organic. --
Ultimate belief. See under Belief. --
Ultimate ratio (Math.), the limiting value of a ratio, or that toward which a series tends, and which it does not pass. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Final; conclusive. See Final. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Ultimated p. pr. & vb. n. Ultimating. ] 1. To come or bring to an end or issue; to eventuate; to end. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come or bring into use or practice. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. As a final consequence; at last; in the end; as, afflictions often tend to correct immoral habits, and ultimately prove blessings. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. State of being ultimate; that which is ultimate, or final; ultimatum. [ R. ] Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Ultimatums L. Ultimata [ NL. See Ultimate. ] 1. A final proposition, concession, or condition; especially, the final propositions, conditions, or terms, offered by either of the parties in a diplomatic negotiation; the most favorable terms that a negotiator can offer, the rejection of which usually puts an end to the hesitation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A final demand, the rejection of which may lead to a resort to force or other compelling action by the party presenting the ultimatum. In international diplomacy, an ultimatum may be used as by the demanding country as a signal to other countries that it gave the other country a seemingly reasonable opportunity to avoid a war; in this way, the demanding country may seek to avoid responsibility for starting a war. [ PJC ]

[ 1913 Webster ]