Referring to the second to last item in a sequence; the penultimate position. A compound word combining concepts of sequence and finality.
Modern compound formed from 'next' (from Old English 'nehst,' superlative of 'neah' meaning near) and 'last' (from Old English 'latost,' superlative of 'læt' meaning slow or late). This particular compound is a contemporary formation for clarity in sequential descriptions.
While 'penultimate' is the formal term for second-to-last, 'nextlast' represents the kind of logical compound formation that English speakers naturally create when existing vocabulary seems unnecessarily complex. It's an example of how English continues to evolve by combining familiar elements in new ways.
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