adjective / noun
ultimate
UL-tuh-mut/ˈʌltɪmət/
At the furthest or final point of a progression.
The finished object marks the ultimate stage of the craft sequence.
Etymology
Coming to an end supplies the image of a final point beyond which nothing further remains. That endpoint can be a process’s final aim or an extreme understood as the greatest or most important.
In context
It is the final stage of power where human judgment is completely removed and replaced by an algorithm of brains. It shows us that the ultimate form of tyranny doesn't look like a dictator. It looks like safety.
More examples
- The committee has ultimate responsibility for approving the budget.
- For her, a quiet cabin is the ultimate in luxury.
- The investigation seeks the ultimate cause of the failure.
Forms
ultimate · ultimates
ultimately adverb — At the end of a process.
Similar words
- final
- Marks the last stage, not necessarily the highest.
- supreme
- Emphasizes highest rank or authority rather than sequence.
- fundamental
- Emphasizes an underlying basis rather than an endpoint.