preantepenultimate

Definition

Synonym of preantepenult (“the last syllable but three of a word or other utterance; the fourth-to-last syllable”).

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-der. Proto-Italic *prai Proto-Italic *prai- Latin prae-lbor. Middle English pre- English pre- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts Proto-Indo-European *-i Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti Proto-Italic *anti Classical Latin ante Classical Latin ante-lbor. English ante- Latin paene Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Italic *-tm̥mos Proto-Italic *oltm̥mos Latin ultimus Latin paenultimus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English penultimate English antepenultimate English preantepenultimate From pre- (prefix meaning ‘physically in front of, before’) + antepenultimate (“(adjective) two before the last in a series; (noun) the second before the last in a series; (phonetics) syllable that comes two before the last in a word”).

Example Sentences

• "[I]f one vvas to ſay σῶματος, this vvould be all one as σόὸματος, and as if an Acute vvas placed on the Pre-antepenultimate, vvhich is never tolerated."
• "Accent the Preantepenultimate. Näamathite, Jezrëelite, Bethlehemite, Ephräimite, (Canäanite generally pronounced in three syllables, as if written Can-an-ite.)"
• "Typical review questions for persons preparing for teacher examinations were posed in Stone's Examiner in 1864: […] Reading: What are Cognates? How would you teach them? What is the Antepenultimate? The Preantepenultimates? Define pitch."