Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

last but not least

/ˈlæst bʌt nɑt ˈlist/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.26 in modern English

Syllables
last but not least
IPA
/ˈlæst bʌt nɑt ˈlist/
17
Scrabble Score
15
Letters
1
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

An expression to start the last item of a list, emphasising that while it is listed last, it is just as important as the rest of the items.

Example Sentences

Etymology

Inflected Forms

last but not least often followed by a comma (canonical)

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce last but not least?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlæst bʌt nɑt ˈlist/.
What does last but not least mean?
An expression to start the last item of a list, emphasising that while it is listed last, it is just as important as the rest of the items.
Where does last but not least come from?
Rhetoric: A possible/common pattern to arrange a speech or essay suggests putting your strongest and thus most important argument favoring your own opinion first and conclude with the weakest, thus least important argument.

How to pronounce last but not least

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “last but not least”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlæst bʌt nɑt ˈlist/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “last but not least”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “last but not least” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.