third-from-last
|third-from-last|
🇺🇸
/ˌθɜrd frəm ˈlæst/
🇬🇧
/ˌθɜːd frɒm ˈlɑːst/
third from the end
Etymology
'third-from-last' originates from Modern English as a compound of three elements: 'third' (the ordinal of three), 'from' (a preposition), and 'last' (the end/final).
'third' comes from Old English 'þridda' (from Proto-Germanic *þridjaz) meaning 'the third'; 'from' comes from Old English 'fram' meaning 'away/from'; 'last' comes from Old English 'lǣt'/'læst' meaning 'final/end'. These words entered Middle English in their respective forms and were later used together in Modern English compounds such as 'third-from-last'.
The individual elements originally meant 'three', 'away/from', and 'final'. Over time they were combined in Modern English to form the compound meaning 'the item positioned three places before the end' (this combined meaning is a straightforward compositional extension of the parts).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the person or thing that is three positions from the end; the antepenultimate item.
On the list, the third-from-last was easy to overlook.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
situated three places before the end; the item that is three positions from the final one.
She was the third-from-last speaker at the conference.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 20:45