1doing something or taking place after the expected, proper, or usual time:his late arrivalshe was half an hour late for her lunch appointment
2belonging or taking place near the end of a particular time or period:they won the game with a late goal
[attributive] denoting or belonging to the advanced stage of a historical period or cultural movement:the late 1960slate Gothic style
far on into the day or night:I’m sorry the call is so lateit’s too late for lunch
flowering or ripening toward the end of the season:the last late chrysanthemums
3 (the/one's late) (of a specified person) no longer alive:the late William Jennings Bryanher late husband’s grave
no longer having the specified status; former:a late colleague of mine
4 (latest) of recent date:the latest news
adverb
1after the expected, proper, or usual time:she arrived late
2toward the end of a period:it happened late in 1984
at or until a time far into the day or night:now I’m old enough to stay up late
(later) at a time in the near future; afterward:I’ll see you laterlater on it will be easier
3 (late of) formerly but not now living or working in a specified place or institution:Captain Falconer, late of the British army
noun
(the latest)
the most recent news or fashion:have you heard the latest?
Phrases
at the latest
no later than the time specified:all new cars will be required to meet this standard by 1997 at the latest
late in the game (or day)
at a late stage in proceedings, especially too late to be useful.
of late
recently:she’d been drinking too much of late
Origin:
Old Englishlæt (adjective; also in the sense 'slow, tardy'), late (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to German lass, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin lassus 'weary', let1, and let2
