¹ultimate

adjective ul·ti·mate \ˈəl-tə-mət\

: happening or coming at the end of a process, series of events, etc.

: greatest or most extreme

—used to refer to the original or basic source or cause of something

Full Definition of ULTIMATE

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>

: arrived at as the last result <the ultimate question>

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

— ul·ti·mate·ness noun

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Origin of ULTIMATE

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

First Known Use: 1640

Related to ULTIMATE

Synonyms: consummate, last, max, maximum, most, nth, outside, paramount, supreme, top, utmost, uttermost

Antonyms: least, minimal, minimum, slightest

Synonym Discussion of ULTIMATE

last, final, terminal, ultimate mean following all others (as in time, order, or importance). last applies to something that comes at the end of a series but does not always imply that the series is completed or stopped <last page of a book> <last news we had of him>. final applies to that which definitely closes a series, process, or progress <final day of school>. terminal may indicate a limit of extension, growth, or development <terminal phase of a disease>. ultimate implies the last degree or stage of a long process beyond which further progress or change is impossible <the ultimate collapse of the system>.