late
- adjective
- /leɪt/
- Here's a late report.
- late developments
A pattern is imprinted on it, unrecognizable of late.
- A pattern is imprinted on it, unrecognizable of late.
Examples
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We gossiped on as the hour grew late and bugs slammed suicidally into the porch light.
Fiction book (1991) -
Is it too late to request Hot Springs?
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One of my good friends got these for me as a late birthday gift.
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It's too late for that.
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Hey, the late paper just came in.
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I'll be back Monday at the latest.
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Sorry I'm late.
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He often tells me about his late night studies for the exam last week.
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She made a late decision to change her major after reflecting on her interests.
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I received a late reply to my email, which was helpful for my project.
Synonyms
Happening not long ago
Idioms
- Informal
Very likely to arrive after the expected time because they are often not on time
Compounds
- Specialized
A serious plant disease that attacks potatoes and tomatoes late in the growing season
- Specialized
A form of Greek used in speech and writing from the 3rd to the 8th centuries AD
- Specialized
A form of Latin used from the 3rd to the 8th century that links Classical and Medieval Latin
- Specialized
A plant or fruit that becomes ripe late in the growing season, often in fall
How Recent
Surface Forms
Etymology
Late can also mean 'recent' or 'just before now', and this sense is the same idea as in lately, meaning it refers to something that happened 'not long ago'.