Penultimate means "last but one". Which word means "next but one"?

Question

Penultimate can mean "second to last" in a series, but it can also mean "two ago" - eg "at our penultimate meeting ...". I'm needing a word that means "next but one" ... "subsequent" would only mean that if the next meeting had already been mentioned.

In a nutshell, our meetings are arranged well in advance. At a meeting, we'll already know the date of the next meeting, but will want to arrange the meeting after that. What should I put on the agenda instead of "Date of Next Meeting"?

Many thanks - in anticipation!

PS Isn't it time we had words that mean "the day before yesterday", "the day after tomorrow" and "the week after next"?

Answer 1

You write
>"Penultimate can mean "second to last" in a series, but it can also mean "two ago" <

Problem. This is simply mistaken! The term means "next to the last" ONLY from the viewpoint of a COMPLETED series (I've checked a number of dictionaries and have found no evidence or examples of its changing.)

As for what you're trying to saying, I'm afraid no one word will do it -- "meeting after next" is about as close as you'll get.

As an agenda item you might just list "dates of future meetings" OR "Future meeting dates". That could cover reviewing or changing the date of your very next meeting, if that ever becomes necessary.

Answer 2

Penultimate Synonym

Answer 3

penultimate means something much different to me. Ultimate, as in ultimate scholar, means he is the highest, with penultimate scholar meaning almost the highest. it can mean what you are stating, but that is not the usage that is most common even though it is listed first in the dictionary. Paene means almost or nearly, and is knocked down a notch in spelling in English to the prefix "pen," as in peninsula. Have you ever had a professor in History knock your grade down for spelling because you used the prefix "cis," meaning "on this side of?" I was quoting from a letter that passed between Jefferson and Monroe on the Monroe Doctrine wherein the term was used in a context like "we are in control of cis-Atlantic affairs." Have you ever had to teach a professor vocabulary?

Answer 4

Post proximate?

It sounds pompous, but it might take on!