Equivalent of "former" and "latter" for more than 2 items

Question

Former and latter are valid only when there are two choices.

If I have a list of more than two items, is there an elegant way to say the first one or the last one?

Answer 1

You can say first and last (without one).

Of winter, spring, and summer, I find the last most enjoyable.

Answer 2

I don't think there's anything inelegant about first or last. You can always use ultimate, penultimate, and antepenultimate if you want to be certain no one understands you.

Answer 3

Interesting question. First and last will do, but suppose you wanted to refer to the middle option, or the fourth option?

Consider for example a scenario where a party of adventurers must choose from a list of options;

• Go forward into the forest, singing a song of sixpence
• Go back to base to retrieve some hats
• Go back to base to dispute the pronunciation of the word "tomato"
• Stay put, weave baskets, and hope for rescue
• Stay put, weave baskets, and try to summon a helpful genie

Now if I were in this party considering these options, I might suggest we take the second option, but it is far more likely that I say something like we need our hats, implying that we should take the second option where we also go back to base.

In other words, with more than two options, the most elegant way is to refer to the unique attributes of the option. In fact, with just two options I still think this is more elegant than former and latter since it relieves the reader of the burden of remembering which is which.

Answer 4

This also puzzled me, a non-native speaker in the beginning.

However, 'latter' is NOT only valid when there are two items! According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the second meaning of 'latter':

2: of, relating to, or being the second of two groups or things or
the last of several groups or things.

In their usage note, M-W write:

There is some controversy afoot regarding the use of latter, particularly regarding its use to refer to items in a series. Many commentators insist that latter can only be used of a series that consists of two: […] When presented with a series of three or more, they say, anyone wishing to highlight the last item in the series should use last and not latter:

• We had soup, fish, and dessert, and the last was uninspiring.

But our evidence shows that latter is used to refer to the last in a series regardless of number:

[emphasis editor‘s]

• ...I am getting crosser and snappier and sadder every minute straining and struggling to type and to read and to draw (the latter is the easiest).
  — James Thurber, letter, 9 June 1939
• ...bee not over-power'd with policie, nor with enforcement of arguments, nor with the approach of Souldiers, and Troopers; the two first may seeme to perswade you, the latter may terrifie you into an everlasting undoing...
  — A.L., To all the honest, wise, and grave-citizens of London, but more especially to all those that challenge an interest in the Common-Hall, 1648

[…] Despite this evidence, however, there are still those who object to its use; if you are concerned about such things, use last to refer to the last item in a series of three or more.

Answer 5

There are other words you can use in place of "first" and "last" - for example, "foremost" and "lattermost" - but whether that is more elegant, or just more pretentious, could be debatable.

Answer 6

It has to be 'first' and 'last', as they are simply the superlatives of which 'former' and 'latter' are the comparatives.