antepenultima

9.9

The third syllable from the end of a word when you count backwards

noun
/ˌæntɪˈpɛnʌltɪmə/

Specialized

: antepenúltima

In the word 'photograph', the antepenultima is the syllable 'pho'.

Examples

Stress in some languages often falls on the antepenultima.
Teachers may ask students to identify the antepenultima in new vocabulary words.
In the word 'banana', the antepenultima is 'na'.
Can you identify the antepenultima in 'chocolate'?
In the word 'photograph', the antepenultima is the syllable 'pho'.
Teachers may ask students to identify the antepenultima in new vocabulary words.
Can you identify the antepenultima in 'chocolate'?

Synonyms

antepenultimate

vsantepenultima

Specialized

1 9.9

Third syllable from the end of a word

uses a different word ending

antepenult

vsantepenultima

Specialized

9.9

The third syllable from the end of a word

uses a shorter word form

Surface Forms

antepenultima singular

antepenultimas plural

Morphology

antepenultima = penultimate (transparent) = ante + ante + penult

The word is formed by prefixing 'ante-' ('before') to 'penultimate' ('next-to-last'), yielding 'before the penultimate' = third-from-last.

Etymology

Antepenultima comes from Latin parts ante- meaning 'before' and penultima meaning 'next to last'. So antepenultima means 'before the penultimate', the third syllable from the end, just before the penultimate and the ultimate syllables.