Definition

1. Noun:
   • The last syllable in a word: In linguistics, "ultima" specifically refers to the final syllable of any word.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • In the word "syllable," the ultima is "-ble." (The final syllable "-ble" is the ultima.)
  • The stress in Latin often falls on the penult or the ultima. (The accent can be on the second-to-last or the last syllable.)
  • When analyzing poetic meter, identifying the ultima is crucial. (Finding the last syllable is important for scansion.)

Advanced Usage

• "Ultima ratio": A Latin phrase meaning "the final argument" or "the last resort," often used in formal or historical contexts. While "ultima" here retains its meaning of "last," this is a fixed Latin phrase, not a direct usage of the English noun.
  • Diplomacy failed, and war became the ultima ratio. (War was the final resort.)

Variants and Related Words

• Penult (n): The second-to-last syllable in a word.
  • In "America," the penult is "me."
• Antepenult (n): The third-to-last syllable in a word.
  • In "antepenult" itself, the antepenult is "an."

Synonyms

• Final syllable: The last syllable (a direct descriptive synonym).

Notes on Meaning

• Technical Term: "Ultima" is a specialized term used primarily in linguistics, poetry, and language studies. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.
• Etymology: The word comes directly from Latin (syllaba), meaning "the last (syllable)."

Noun

1. the last syllable in a word