noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
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
Pronunciation
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/ˌʌl.tɪˈmeɪ.təm/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH2 L T AH0 M EY1 T AH0 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another, especially one that expresses a threat of reprisal or war if the terms are not met before some specified date and time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: diplomacy, government, politics
Examples
1913 U.S. Naval War College: International Law Topics and Discussions An ultimatum may be issued containing a demand for satisfaction. Such an ultimatum is usually formulated in diplomatic terms, which would not make it too difficult for the state to which it is dispatched to find a way to adjust the difficulties. The ultimatum usually fixes the time within which an answer must be made. The United States required that Spain reply to its demand for withdrawal of Spanish forces from Cuba within three days; i. e., by April 23. War was declared on April 25. An ultimatum in itself does not necessarily involve a declaration of war unless the failure to comply with the demands carries with it a conditional declaration of war. The British demands upon Venezuela in 1902 required an immediate satisfaction of certain claims, and concluded: “ This communication must be regarded in the light of ultimatum.” The failure of Venezuela to satisfy these claims did not lead to an immediate war, but to an attempt to establish a pacific blockade which subsequently took the form of a true blockade. Whatever the preliminary negotiations or evidences of strained relations which might have received consideration prior to 1907, among those states now parties to the convention relative to the opening of hostilities, it is now necessary that there be a previous and explicit warning. This previous and explicit warning may take the form of a reasoned declaration of war or of an ultimatum with a conditional declaration of war. The reasoned declaration of war was regarded by many as necessary or at least very desirable because the opposing belligerent should be given a formal statement of the grounds of the war and the neutrals should not suffer such great changes in their ordinary rights and obligations without knowledge of the reasons. If instead of the reasoned declaration of war, the ultimatum with conditional declaration was employed, the reasons for the breaking off of peaceful relations would be stated in the ultimatum.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An intended final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another in a negotiation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
Topics: diplomacy, government, politics
Examples
1724 William Wynne: The Life of Sir Leoline Jenkins, Judge of the High-Court of Admiralty . . . Thirdly, That they, the Dutch, 5 or 6 Weeks after they had received these Letters, (of 12th of July) call'd for an Ultimatum, so they termed the dernier mot, from us; and that we gave our Ultimatum to the Mediators first by Word of Mouth in August, then on the 5th of September, N. S. in writing.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
a final peremptory demand
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: demand
History
Etymology
From Latin ultimatus (“late, last final”), from Latin ultimus (“extreme, last, furthest, farthest, final”).
Across languages
Translations
61 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
بِلَاغ نِهَائِيّ
(bilāḡ nihāʔiyy)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Armenian:
վերջնագիր
(verǰnagir)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Basque:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Belarusian:
ультыма́тум
(ulʹtymátum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Bulgarian:
ултима́тум
(ultimátum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Catalan:
ultimàtum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Chinese Mandarin:
最後通牒 /最后通牒
(zuìhòu tōngdié)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Chinese Mandarin:
哀的美敦書 /哀的美敦书
(āidìměidūn shū)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Czech:
ultimátum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Danish:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Dutch:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Esperanto:
ultimato
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Esperanto:
ultimatumo
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Estonian:
ultimaatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Finnish:
uhkavaatimus
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Finnish:
ultimaatumi
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
French:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Galician:
ultimato
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Georgian:
ულტიმატუმი
(ulṭimaṭumi)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
German:
Ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Greek:
τελεσίγραφο
(telesígrafo)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Hebrew:
אוּלְטִימָטוּם
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Hindi:
अल्टिमेटम
(alṭimeṭam)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Hindi:
अंतिमेत्थम्
(antimettham)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Hungarian:
ultimátum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Icelandic:
úrslitakostir
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Indonesian:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Italian:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Japanese:
最後通牒
(saigo tsūchō)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Japanese:
最後通告
(saigo tsūkoku)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Kazakh:
ультиматум
(ultimatum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Kazakh:
кескен серт
(kesken sert)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Kazakh:
үзілді-кесілді талап
(üzıldı-kesıldı talap)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Korean:
최후통첩
(choehutongcheop)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Latvian:
ultimāts
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Lithuanian:
ultimatumas
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Macedonian:
ултима́тум
(ultimátum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Malay:
kata dua
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Malay:
kemuktamadan
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Malayalam:
അന്ത്യശാസനം
(antyaśāsanaṁ)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Nepali:
अल्टिमेटम
(alṭimeṭam)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Norwegian Bokmål:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Persian:
اولتیماتوم
(ultimâtom)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Persian:
اتمامحجت
(etmâm-e-hojjat)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Polish:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Portuguese:
ultimato
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Romanian:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Russian:
ультима́тум
(ulʹtimátum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Serbo-Croatian:
ултима́тум
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Serbo-Croatian:
ultimátum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Slovak:
ultimátum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Slovene:
ultimat
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Spanish:
ultimátum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Spanish:
ultimato
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Swedish:
ultimatum
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Tajik:
ултиматум
(ultimatum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Thai:
คําขาด
(kam-kàat)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Thai:
คําสั่งสุดท้าย
(kam-sàng-sùt-táai)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Turkish:
ültimatom
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Ukrainian:
ультима́тум
(ulʹtymátum)
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
Vietnamese:
tối hậu thư
— a final statement of terms or conditions made by one party to another
