late

Meanings

Plural: lates

Adjective

• being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
  • "late evening"
  • "late 18th century"
  • "a late movie"
  • "took a late flight"
  • "had a late breakfast"
• of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages
  • "Late Greek"
• at or toward an end or late period or stage of development
  • "the late phase of feudalism"
  • "a later symptom of the disease"
  • "later medical science could have saved the child"

Adjective Satellite

• after the expected or usual time; delayed
  • "a belated birthday card"
  • "I'm late for the plane"
  • "the train is late"
• of the immediate past or just previous to the present time
  • "a late development"
  • "their late quarrel"
• having died recently
  • "her late husband"
• (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
  • "our late President is still very active"

Adverb

• later than usual or than expected
  • "the train arrived late"
  • "we awoke late"
  • "the children came late to school"
  • "I belatedly wished her a happy birthday"
• to an advanced time
  • "talked late into the evening"
• at an advanced age or stage
  • "she married late"
  • "undertook the project late in her career"
• in the recent past
  • "lately the rules have been enforced"
  • "as late as yesterday she was fine"
  • "feeling better of late"

Adj

• Near the end of a period of time.
• Specifically, near the end of the day.
• Associated with the end of a period.
• Not arriving or occurring until after an expected time.
• Levied as a surcharge on a payment which has not arrived by a specified deadline.
• Not having had an expected menstrual period.
• Deceased, dead: used particularly when speaking of the dead person's actions while alive. (Generally must be preceded by a possessive or an article, commonly "the"; see usage notes. Can itself only precede the person's name, never follow it.)
• Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not now; departed, or gone out of office.
• Recent — relative to the noun it modifies.
• Of a star or class of stars, cooler than the sun.

Noun

• A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night.

Adv

• After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.
• Formerly, especially in the context of service in a military unit.
• Not long ago; just now, recently.

Synonyms

belated, belatedly, deep, erenow, former, formerly, freshly, late, lately, later, latterly, of late, previous, recent, recently, tardily, tardy

Antonyms

early, mid, middle

Related Words

overdue

Anagrams of late