# Words that, to you, don't sound like what they should mean

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-to-you-dont-sound-like-what-they-should-mean/758706>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [June 29, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-to-you-dont-sound-like-what-they-should-mean/758706 "2016-06-29T14:27:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-to-you-dont-sound-like-what-they-should-mean/758706/61 "2016-07-07T23:48:49Z")

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Penultimate - sounds like it means ‘the end all and be all’.

It means ‘next to last’. Who needs a word for that?

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**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-that-to-you-dont-sound-like-what-they-should-mean/758706/62 "2016-07-08T00:13:10Z")

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> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> Penultimate - sounds like it means ‘the end all and be all’.

That’s “ultimate.”

> [@Typo\_Negative](#):
>
> It means ‘next to last’. Who needs a word for that?

Let’s see. I’ve seen it used (correctly) recently in the contexts of sports writing, game theory, political journalism, and film and performing arts criticism.

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