{ ‖ } n. [ L. antepaenultima (sc. syllaba) antepenultimate; ante before + paenultimus the last but one; paene almost + ultimus last. ] (Pros.) The last syllable of a word except two, as -syl- in monosyllable. [ 1913 Webster ]
(adj) next to the last, Syn. next-to-last, Example:the author inadvertently reveals the murderer in the penultimate chapter; the figures in the next-to-last column