penult

UK: /ˈpɛnʌlt/, /pɪˈnʌlt/ US: (pē′nult, pi nult′)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pe•nult  (pē′nult, pi nult′), n. 

1. Linguistics the next to the last syllable in a word.

Also, pe•nul•ti•ma  (pi nul′tə mə). 

• Latin paenultima (syllaba), contraction of paene ultima almost the last; see pen-, ultima
• 1530–40

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

penult / ˈpɛnʌlt pɪˈnʌlt/, penultima / pɪˈnʌltɪmə/ noun

1. the last syllable but one in a word

Etymology: 16th Century: Latin paenultima syllaba, from paene ultima almost the last