antepenult

1 of 3

noun (1)

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

antepenultimate

2 of 3

adjective

an·​te·​pen·​ul·​ti·​mate ¦an-ti-pi-¦nəl-tə-mət 

1

: of or relating to an antepenult

2

: coming before the next to last in any series

antepenultimate

3 of 3

noun (2)

an·​te·​pen·​ul·​ti·​mate ¦an-ti-pi-¦nəl-tə-mət 

plural -s

: something that is antepenultimate

specifically : an antepenultimate syllable

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Adjective

ante + penultimate (after Late Latin antepaenultimus)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1620, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for antepenult

• adult
• consult
• exult
• insult
• occult
• result
• catapult
• subadult
• cult