penultimate

American  

[pi-nuhl-tuh-mit] / pɪˈnʌl tə mɪt /

adjective

1. next to the last.

   the penultimate scene of the play.

2. of or relating to a penult or the next to the last syllable in a word.

   In the word appropriate, -pri- is the penultimate syllable.

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noun

1. a penult.

penultimate British  

/ pɪˈnʌltɪmɪt /

adjective

1. next to the last

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noun

1. anything that is next to the last, esp a penult

Etymology

Origin of penultimate

First recorded in 1670–80; see origin at penult, ultimate

Explanation

If something’s the penultimate, then it’s the second to last thing in a series. If you’re watching the penultimate episode of your favorite TV show, you know that there’s only one more episode to go. Penultimate came into English in the 17th century from the Latin word paenultimus, a combination of paene, meaning “almost,” and ultimus, meaning “last.” So if something’s penultimate, it’s “almost last”: more specifically, it’s next to last. If you’re reading a book with 20 chapters, chapter 19 is the penultimate chapter. If you’re a fan of grammar terms, you might already know that penultimate can refer to a word’s next to last syllable, called a penult.

Example Sentences

The album’s penultimate track, “Actress,” is another eight-minute-plus epic, and its movement between whispered folk and thick, dissonant orchestrations is joyful.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

While Tuchel was happy with the overall performance of his players in this penultimate World Cup warm-up match, he was less pleased with the officials.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Positioning himself towards the front heading into the penultimate lap, Kerr hit the front at the bell and proved too strong as Hocker attempted to close the gap in the closing stages.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

Powell's term as Fed chair ends in May, making this his penultimate meeting.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

“Or, you know, the penultimate one,” cracked Jake.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein