penultimate \pih-NUL-tuh-mut\ adjective. 1 : next to the last. 2 : of or relating to the next to the last syllable of a word. Examples: The penultimate episode of the TV series features some shocking plot twists that set up what will surely be a thrilling series finale.

Does penultimate mean second to last?

But penultimate means “next to last” or “second to last.” It's probably because it adds an emphatic extra syllable to the word ultimate that people think it somehow means “more” than ultimate—but it really means less.

What does penultimate time mean?

If something's the penultimate, then it's the second to last thing in a series. If you're watching the penultimate episode of your favorite TV show, you know that there's only one more episode to go.