n.
Function: adjective
Date: 13th century
1 a : following all the rest <he was the last one out> b : being the only remaining <our last dollar>
2 : belonging to the final stage (as of life) <his last hours on earth>
3 a : next before the present : most recent < last week> <his last book was a failure> b : most up-to-date : LATEST <it's the last thing in fashion>
4 a : lowest in rank or standing also : WORST b : farthest from a specified quality, attitude, or likelihood <would be the last person to fall for flattery>
5 a : CONCLUSIVE <there is no last answer to the problem> b : highest in degree : SUPREME , ULTIMATE c : DISTINCT , SEPARATE ― used as an intensive <ate every last piece of food>
– last · ly adverb
synonyms LAST , FINAL , TERMINAL , ULTIMATE mean following all others (as in time, order, or importance). LAST applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped < last page of a book> < last news we had of him>. FINAL applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress < final day of school>. TERMINAL may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development < terminal phase of a disease>. ULTIMATE implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible <the ultimate collapse of the system>.