antepenult

noun

an·te·pe·nult ˌan-ti-ˈpē-ˌnəlt

-pi-ˈnəlt

variants or less commonly antepenultima

ˌan-ti-pi-ˈnəl-tə-mə

: the third syllable of a word counting from the end (such as cu in accumulate)

antepenultimate

ˌan-ti-pi-ˈnəl-tə-mət

adjective or noun

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin antepaenultima, feminine of antepaenultimus preceding the next to last, from Latin ante- + paenultimus penultimate

First Known Use

circa 1620, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of antepenult was circa 1620

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Antepenult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antepenult. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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