Main Entry: ¹ul·ti·mate

Pronunciation: \ˈəl-tə-mət\

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, superl. 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