ULTERIOR

ulterior, later(a), posterior

(adjective) coming at a subsequent time or stage; “without ulterior argument”; “the mood posterior to”

ulterior

(adjective) beyond or outside an area of immediate interest; remote; “a suggestion ulterior to the present discussion”; “without...any purpose, immediate or ulterior”- G.B.Shaw

subterranean, subterraneous, ulterior

(adjective) lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background or deliberately concealed); “subterranean motives for murder”; “looked too closely for an ulterior purpose in all knowledge”- Bertrand Russell

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

ulterior (not comparable)

Situated beyond, or on the farther side.

Beyond what is obvious or evident.

Being intentionally concealed so as to deceive.

(archaic) Happening later; subsequent.

Usage notes

Ulterior is primarily used today to refer to impure, covert, and external motives. In the sense “beyond, farther”, the antonym is citerior (“nearer”), but this tends to be used only in literary writing. Instead, proximate and ultimate are more commonly used for “nearest” and “farthest” (cause, etc.) respectively.

Antonyms

• (situated beyond): citerior

• (intentionally concealed to deceive): ostensible

• (happening later): prior

Source: Wiktionary

Ul*te"ri*or, a. Etym: [L., comp. of ultra, ultro, beyond, on the other side, properly cases of an old adjective, formed with a comparative suffix, which is akin to OL. uls beyond, L. olim formerly, hereafter, orig., at that time, ille that, OL. olle, ollus. Cf. Outrage.]

1. Situated beyond, or on the farther side; thither; -- correlative with hither.

2. Further; remoter; more distant; succeeding; as, ulterior demands or propositions; ulterior views; what ulterior measures will be adopted is uncertain. Ulterior object or aim, an object or aim beyond that which is avowed.

Ul*te"ri*or, n.

Definition: Ulterior side or part. [R.] Coleridge.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition