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 mean?

1 : next to the last the penultimate chapter of a book. 2 : of or relating to the next to the last syllable of a word a penultimate accent.

Does penultimate mean best?

“Penultimate” doesn't mean "the best." It comes from a Latin word that means “almost ultimate.” It's not uncommon to see people misuse the word “penultimate” to describe something as better than the best, even more ultimate than ultimate, but it actually means “the next to last.”