ultimo 的詞源

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] 

15世紀中期，"現在、當前、此刻、流行的"，源自14世紀的古法語" instant "，意爲"接近、迫在眉睫、緊急、勤勉"，直接來自中世紀拉丁文" instantem "（直接形式爲 " instans "），在古典拉丁文中意爲"存在、緊急、迫在眉睫"，字面意思爲 "立在附近"，是 " instare " 的現在分詞，意爲"敦促、在附近支持、出席（爲了敦促自己的立場）"，源於 " in- "（即 PIE 詞根 " *en " 中的 "in" ），意爲"在……裏面"，以及 " stare "，它起源於 PIE 詞根" *sta- "，意爲"站立、牢固或使牢固"。

"立刻、做或發生在此時此刻" 的意義始於1590年代。加工食品的 " instant coffee " 可追溯至1912年； 電視轉播的體育賽事 " instant replay " 可追溯至1965年； 雲計算 " Instant messaging " 可追溯至1994年。

這個詞在18世紀到19世紀用於信件的日期，表示 "當月"，通常縮寫爲 " inst. "，因此 " 16th inst. " 表示 "當月的第十六天"（比較 " proximo "， " ultimo "）。