1650年代，在神学中，“形成最终的目标或对象”（ultimate purpose 等），也指“无法进行分析或发现的终点”；来自晚期拉丁语 ultimatus，ultimare 的过去分词，意为“最终，结束”，源自拉丁语 ultimus（阴性 ultima）“最后，最终，最远，最遥远，极端”，是 *ulter 的最高级，意为“超越”（来自原始印欧词根 *al- “超越”的后缀形式）。
作为名词从1680年代开始使用。相关词：Ultimately；ultimateness；ultimacy。Ultimate Frisbee 证实于1972年。
In special cases it is synonymous with final, except that it implies at least two preceding members, which final does not ; and this circumstance gives the idea of a climax, and so emphasizes ultimate. But more frequently the series to which ultimate refers is a regressive one, so that it is quite opposed to final. Thus ultimate cause means the original cause beyond which no causation can be traced ; but final cause is the end toward which action is directed. [Century Dictionary]
在特殊情况下，它与 final 同义， except that it implies at least two preceding members, which final does not ; and this circumstance gives the idea of a climax, and so emphasizes ultimate. But more frequently the series to which ultimate refers is a regressive one, so that it is quite opposed to final. Thus ultimate cause means the original cause beyond which no causation can be traced ; but final cause is the end toward which action is directed. [Century Dictionary]
