penult

Also pe·nul·ti·ma

[pee-nuhlt, pi-nuhlt]

noun

1. the next to the last syllable in a word.

penult

/ pɪˈnʌlt, pɪˈnʌltɪmə, ˈpɛnʌlt /

noun

1. the last syllable but one in a word

Word History and Origins

Origin of penult¹

1530–40; < Latin paenultima ( syllaba ), contraction of paene ultima almost the last; pen-, ultima

Word History and Origins

Origin of penult¹

C16: Latin paenultima syllaba, from paene ultima almost the last

Example Sentences

Names accented on the penult have no accents printed on them; all others have printed accents.

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Antepenult, an-te-pen′ult, n. the syllable before the penult or next ultimate syllable of a word: the last syllable of a word but two.—adj.

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In this book there are many Russian names of men and places; but the majority of names are accented on the penult.

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To him, accent alone is the best of quantity, and the law of position cannot make the penult of carpēnter or majēsty long.

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In Old Welsh and Old Breton, on the other hand, the final syllable, i.e. the primitive penult, received the stress, but in both languages the stress was shifted in the middle period to the penultimate.

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