Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
name
Synonym of Arrokoth (“trans-Neptunian object (486958) 2014 MU69”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Arrokoth
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A place beyond the borders of the known world.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Highest achievement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative letter-case form of ultima Thule (“a place beyond the known world; highest achievement”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
the geographical region believed by ancient geographers to be the northernmost land in the inhabited world
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: Thule
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: geographical area, geographic area, geographical region, geographic region
History
From ultima Thule (“furthest place; a place beyond the known world”). The object was first observed in 2014 and announced later that year as a potential target for NASA's New Horizons probe. In March 2018, after inviting suggestions from the public, NASA selected Ultima Thule as its nickname. Once it was determined that the body was a bilobate contact binary, the New Horizons team began calling the larger lobe Ultima and the smaller Thule.
From Latin ultima Thūlē, nominative feminine singular of ultimus (“furthest”) + Thule, from mediaeval geography; originally from the Ancient Greek Θούλη (Thoúlē), a (possibly mythical) island to the north of Britain.
Capitalization of ultima Thule, from Latin ultima (“final; furthest”) + Thule (“northernmost inhabited island”).
Across languages
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
