ultimate

ul|ti|mate¹ W3 [ˈʌltımıt] adj [only before noun]

[Date: 1600-1700; : Late Latin; Origin: ultimatus 'last', from ultimare 'to come to an end, be last', from Latin ultimus 'farthest, last', from ulter; ULTERIOR]

1.) someone's ultimate aim is their main and most important aim, that they hope to achieve in the future

= ↑final

ultimate goal/aim/objective etc

▪ Complete disarmament was the ultimate goal of the conference.

▪ Our ultimate objective is to have as many female members of parliament as there are male.

2.) the ultimate result of a long process is what happens at the end of it

▪ The ultimate outcome of the experiment cannot be predicted.

▪ The ultimate fate of the tribe was even sadder.

▪ the ultimate failure of the project

3.) if you have ultimate responsibility for something, you are the person who must make the important final decisions about it

▪ The ultimate responsibility for policy lies with the President.

▪ The ultimate decision rests with the Public Health Service.

4.) better, bigger, worse etc than all other things or people of the same kind

▪ 'The Rolling Stones' is the ultimate rock and roll band.

▪ The female nude is surely the ultimate test of artistic skill.

ultimate ²

ultimate² n

the ultimate in sth

the best or most modern example of something

▪ The plane was the ultimate in air technology in the 60s.

▪ Guy's home is the ultimate in luxury .