Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - ultimate

 I. adjective  Etymology: Medieval Latin ultimatus last, final, from Late Latin, past participle of ultimare to come to an end, be last, from Latin ultimus farthest, last, final, superlative of Latin *ulter situated beyond  Date: 1640  1.  a. most remote in space or time ; farthest  b. last in a progression or series ; final their ~ destination was Paris  c. eventual 2 they hoped for ~ success  d. the best or most extreme of its kind ; utmost the ~ sacrifice  2. arrived at as the last result the ~ question  3.  a. basic, fundamental the ~ nature of things — A. N. Whitehead  b. original 1 the ~ source  c. incapable of further analysis, division, or separation  4. maximum 1  Synonyms: see last  • ~ness noun  II. noun  Date: 1681  1. something ~; especially fundamental  2. acme  III. verb  (-mated; -mating)  Date: circa 1834 end