Ultimate

Ul′ti·mate, a. [LL. ultimatus last, extreme, fr. L. ultimare to come to an end, fr. ultimus the farthest, last, superl. from the same source as ulterior. See Ulterior, and cf. Ultimatum.] 1. Farthest; most remote in space or time; extreme; last; final.

My harbor, and my ultimate repose. Milton.

Many actions apt to procure fame are not conductive to this our ultimate happiness. Addison.

2. Last in a train of progression or consequences; tended toward by all that precedes; arrived at, as the last result; final.

Those ultimate truths and those universal laws of thought which we can not rationally contradict. Coleridge.

3. Incapable of further analysis; incapable of further division or separation; constituent; elemental; as, an ultimate constituent of matter.

Ultimate analysis (Chem.), organic analysis. See under Organic. — Ultimate belief. See under Belief. — Ultimate ratio (Math.), the limiting value of a ratio, or that toward which a series tends, and which it does not pass.

Syn. — Final; conclusive. See Final.

Ul′ti·mate, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Ultimated; p. pr. & vb. n. Ultimating.] 1. To come or bring to an end; to eventuate; to end. [R.]

2. To come or bring into use or practice. [R.]