Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
PENULTIMATE / ULTIMATE
These two words are obviously related, but they are not the same. Likewise, their meanings are related but not the same. The adjective ultimate is properly used to mean the last. The adjective penultimate, on the other hand, means next to the last, as in the number eleven is the penultimate number when counting to a dozen. Some people use penultimate to mean the best or the last, but that distinction really belongs only to ultimate.
INCORRECT: The weekend’s scheduled activities will end with a Sunday evening concert, so the Sunday afternoon picnic will be the ultimate event.
CORRECT: The weekend’s scheduled activities will end with a Sunday evening concert, so the Sunday afternoon picnic will be the penultimate event.
INCORRECT: Stephen Hawking was known as the penultimate authority on black holes.
CORRECT: Stephen Hawking was known as the ultimate authority on black holes.
NOTE: While ultimate can indicate superiority, penultimate cannot.
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