Main Entry:

⁵last

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>.