n.
Pronunciation: ' ə l-t ə -m ə t
Function: adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin ultimatus last, final, from Late Latin, past participle of ultimare to come to an end, be last, from Latin ultimus farthest, last, final, superlative of Latin *ulter situated beyond
Date: 1640
1 a : most remote in space or time : FARTHEST b : last in a progression or series : FINAL <their ultimate destination was Paris> c : EVENTUAL 2 <they hoped for ultimate success> d : the best or most extreme of its kind : UTMOST <the ultimate sacrifice>
2 : arrived at as the last result <the ultimate question>
3 a : BASIC , FUNDAMENTAL <the ultimate nature of things ― A. N. Whitehead> b : ORIGINAL 1 <the ultimate source> c : incapable of further analysis, division, or separation
synonyms see LAST
– ul · ti · mate · ness noun