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penultimate

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penultimate

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++
Related topics: Chronology
pe·nul·ti·mate /peˈnʌltəmət, pə-/ adjective [only before noun]  TMCLASTnot the last, but immediately before the last 倒数第二的 SYN last but one, → ultimate the penultimate chapter 倒数第二章see thesaurus at lastRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say the next to last or, in British English, the last but one rather than use penultimate: 在日常英语中,人们一般说 the next to last, 或在英国英语中说 the last but one, 而不说 penultimatethe next to last chapter 倒数第二章the last but one chapter 倒数第二章【英】
Examples from the Corpus
penultimateIt was the penultimate act before war.Alan Aldridge's chestnut quickened well approaching the penultimate and was in no danger from then on.The penultimate column gives the current memory requirements, which are twice what is necessary.The kids ruled Monday night, the sixth and penultimate day of racing.We booked a moped for the penultimate day of the holiday.His horse slipped and fell at the penultimate fence.the penultimate game of the seasonIt took us five hours to reach the penultimate peak.Eric scored a timely win in the penultimate round of the Formula 1 championship.Beatification is the penultimate step before canonisation.These trials are actually the penultimate step toward choosing the Olympic team for this summer's games.This all happened just before Easter, at the end of my penultimate term at Sussex.Particularly impressive is the horn section on the penultimate track, 'Just Jivin' Around'.
Origin penultimate (1600-1700) Latin paenultimus, from paene almost + ultimus last
but the last not the immediately Corpus last, before


penultimate
penultimate /peˈnʌltəmət, peˈnʌltɪmət, pə-/ adjective [only before noun]
 Date: 1600-1700
 Language: Latin
 Origin: paenultimus, from paene __almost__ + ultimus __last__
not the last, but immediately before the last
   SYN  last but oneultimate:
    the penultimate chapter
  REGISTER
    In everyday English, people usually say the next to last or, in British English, the last but one rather than use penultimate:
    the next to last chapter
    the last but one chapter British English
     
THESAURUS
■ the one that comes at the end
    last [only before noun] happening or existing at the end, with no others after: What time does the last train leave? | Our house is the last one on the right.
    final [only before noun] last in a series of actions, events, parts of a story etc: It’s the final game of the championship tomorrow. | the final scene of the film
    closing [only before noun] used about the last part of a long period of time, or of an event, book etc that has been exciting or interesting: the closing years of the twentieth century | Barnes scored the winning goal in the closing minutes of the game.
    concluding [only before noun] used about the last part of a piece of writing, a speech, or an organized event, that ends it in a definite way: the concluding section of the report | the judge’s concluding remarks
    penultimate /peˈnʌltəmət, peˈnʌltɪmət, pə-/ [only before noun] the one before the last one: the penultimate chapter


pen·ul·ti·mateBrE /penˈʌltɪmət/ 🔊NAmE /penˈʌltɪmət/ 🔊 adjective [only before noun] immediately before the last one 倒数第二的 SYN next/second to last the penultimate chapter/day/stage倒数第二章/天/阶段