occurring, coming, or being after the usual or proper time: late frosts; a late spring.
continued until after the usual time or hour; protracted: a late business meeting.
near or at the end of day or well into the night: a late hour.
belonging to the time just before the present moment; most recent: a late news bulletin;The car is a late model, but I don't know the exact year.
immediately preceding the present one; former: the late attorney general.
recently deceased: the late Mr. Phipps.
occurring at an advanced stage in life: a late marriage.
belonging to an advanced period or stage in the history or development of something: the late phase of feudalism.
adverb,lat·er,lat·est.
after the usual or proper time, or after delay: to arrive late.
until after the usual time or hour; until an advanced hour, especially of the night: to work late.
at or to an advanced time, period, or stage: The flowers keep their blossoms late in warm climates.
recently but no longer: a man late of Chicago, now living in Philadelphia.
Idioms for late
of late, lately; recently: The days have been getting warmer of late.
Origin of late
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English læt “slow, late”; cognate with German lass “slothful,” Old Norse latr,Gothic lats “slow, lazy,” Latin lassus “tired”
Are you bi-coastal now, between Portlandia and Late Night with Seth Meyers?
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At the moment, the only chance I get is when I go do Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Late Wednesday night, French authorities reported that Mourad had surrendered to police, while the two brothers remained at large.
Police Hunt for Paris Massacre Suspects|Tracy McNicoll, Christopher Dickey|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As he tried to make his way through a crowd of mourners late last month, he looked preoccupied and even disoriented.
What an Iranian Funeral Tells Us About the Wars in Iraq|IranWire|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Late former governors of NY, TX starred in a 1994 snack chip ad.
Mario Cuomo, Ann Richards Concede to Doritos|The Daily Beast Video|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“It is late to-night,” said Harry, now quite calm, though with a hot flush upon his cheek.
The Chaplain of the Fleet|Walter Besant and James Rice
And to be sure when a man rises from the dead thus uninvited—your brother was the sole heir of our late master!
The Robbers|Friedrich Schiller
But it was too late: the finger had pulled the trigger and the ball sped true.
To Leeward|F. Marion Crawford
"I would rather you did not wander on the moor so late at night," Mildred Caniper said.
Moor Fires|E. H. (Emily Hilda) Young
Well, that is what the affidavit says which I entered late yesterday afternoon.
The Great Gold Rush|W. H. P. (William Henry Pope) Jarvis
British Dictionary definitions for late
late
/ (leɪt) /
adjective
occurring or arriving after the correct or expected timethe train was late
(prenominal)occurring, scheduled for, or being at a relatively advanced timea late marriage
(prenominal)towards or near the endthe late evening
at an advanced time in the evening or at nightit was late
(prenominal)occurring or being just previous to the present timehis late remarks on industry
(prenominal)having died, esp recentlymy late grandfather
(prenominal)just preceding the present or existing person or thing; formerthe late manager of this firm
of laterecently; lately
adverb
after the correct or expected timehe arrived late
at a relatively advanced ageshe married late
recently; latelyas late as yesterday he was selling books
late hoursrising and going to bed later than is usual
late in the day
at a late or advanced stage
too late
Derived forms of late
lateness, noun
Word Origin for late
Old English læt; related to Old Norse latr, Gothic lats
usage for late
Since late can mean deceased, many people think it is better to avoid using this word to refer to the person who held a post or position before its present holder: the previous (not the late) editor of The Times