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ultimatum - 5 dictionary results

ul⋅ti⋅ma⋅tum

  [uhl-tuh-mey-tuhm, -mah-]
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–noun, plural -tums, -ta  [-tuh] .
1. a final, uncompromising demand or set of terms issued by a party to a dispute, the rejection of which may lead to a severance of relations or to the use of force.
2. a final proposal or statement of conditions.
Origin:
1725–35; < NL, n. use of neut. of LL ultimātus. See ultimate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ul·ti·ma·tum   (ŭl'tə-mā'təm, -mä'-)   
n.   pl. ul·ti·ma·tums or ul·ti·ma·ta (-tə)
  1. A final statement of terms made by one party to another.
  2. A statement, especially in diplomatic negotiations, that expresses or implies the threat of serious penalties if the terms are not accepted.

[New Latin, from neuter of Latin ultimātus, last; see ultimate.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Ultimatum

Ul`ti*ma"tum\, n.; pl. E. Ultimatums, L. Ultimata. [NL. See Ultimate.] A final proposition, concession, or condition; especially, the final propositions, conditions, or terms, offered by either of the parties in a diplomatic negotiation; the most favorable terms a negotiator can offer, the rejection of which usually puts an end to the hesitation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : ultimatum
Spanish: ultimátum,
German: das Ultimatum,
Japanese: 最後通牒
More Translations »

ultimatum [(ul-tuh-may-tuhm)]

A formal message delivered from one government to another threatening war if the receiving government fails to comply with conditions set forth in the message. For example, after the assassination of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand in 1914, the government of Austria sent an ultimatum to Serbia, which Austria held responsible for the assassination.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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ultimatum 
1731, from Mod.L., from M.L. adj. ultimatum "last possible, final," from L. ultimatum, neut. of ultimatus (see ultimate). Hamilton and others use the L. plural ultimata. In slang c.1820s, ultimatum was used for "the buttocks."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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