Dictionary

penult

noun pe·nult \ˈpē-ˌnəlt, pi-ˈ\

Definition of PENULT

:  the next to the last member of a series; especially :  the next to the last syllable of a word
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Origin of PENULT

Latin paenultima penult, from feminine of paenultimus almost last, from paene almost + ultimus last — more at ultimate
First Known Use: 1537

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile

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