Ultimatums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A final proposition or demand that establishes a condition which must be met to avoid a specified consequence
2. an extreme requirement presented in negotiations that often forces the other party into a corner
3. A decisive demand that stipulates conditions under which an agreement must be reached, with significant implications for failure to comply

Etymology: "Ultimatums" is simply the plural of "ultimatum," so its history is that of the singular. The singular comes from Latin "ultimatus," meaning "last" or "final," which itself grows from "ultimus," meaning "extreme, furthest, or final." The Latin root sits behind many English words about the far end of things, such as "ultimate" and "penultimate," the latter meaning "second to last." The original sense was simply a final position, something that closes off discussion rather than opening it. That reading survives in the modern sense: a final set of terms, offered on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, after which no further negotiation is expected. The word therefore carries its Latin meaning of "last" into the diplomatic setting, where the last offer is exactly what it describes.

Synonyms: demands, conditions, final offers