'ultima' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'ultima' (feminine of 'ultimus'), where 'ultimus' meant 'last' and the root 'ulter/ultra' meant 'beyond'.

'ultima' passed from Classical Latin ('ultimus'/'ultima') into Medieval and Late Latin usage as a technical term in prosody, and was later borrowed into English as the specialized term 'ultima'.

Initially in Latin it denoted 'the last' (feminine form); over time in English it evolved into the specific technical meaning 'the final syllable of a word'.