Suppose you have a series of objects (first-second-third-fourth). Here the fourth object is the last object and the first object is the first object. But what is a word to call first, second and third objects?
First objects? non-last objects?…. Please note that the number of objects can be arbitrary.
Update As some asked where I needed this I should say I needed this word when I wanted to teach Persian to someone, I said
In a conjunction of multiple sentences with passive verb tenses, you can use contracted form for …. verbs and the full form for the last verb.
I meant for all the verbs but the last.
Best Answer
Any given item in a list falls into one of the three categories...
1 first
2 intermediate/intervening (all except the first and last)
3 last
We can also divide the list into just two categories - all except the first or last...
1+2 preceding/antecedent/earlier (relative to the last item)
2+3 following/subsequent/later (relative to the first item)
...but note that both these forms can be used to reference just one earlier/later item (or several, but not necessarily all items except the first/last).