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
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
