late
/leɪt/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
happening after the expected time, or not on time. It can describe a person, a train, or an event.
- I'm sorry I'm late.
- The train was late again.
- She arrived late to the meeting.
adverb
after the usual, expected, or planned time. It often describes arrival, doing something, or staying awake.
- He came late to class.
- We worked late into the night.
- Don't stay up too late.
adjective
- 1.
near the end of a period of time, or happening in the final part of something.
- in the late afternoon
- late winter can be very cold
- This happened in the late 1990s.
- 2.
recently dead, or no longer alive.
- her late husband
- the late poet
- We remember the late Mr. Sharma.
Adinary Nuance
Late is the neutral word for something that happens after the expected time. Use tardy in more formal or school-like contexts, and delayed when something was held back by a cause. For people, late is the everyday choice in speech and writing.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- muộn
- Spanish
- tarde
- Chinese
- 晚
- Japanese
- 遅い
- Korean
- 늦은
Etymology
Late comes from Old English læt, meaning 'slow' or 'behind time'. The word has been used in English since before the 12th century.
Common phrases
late at nighta late arrivalthe late afternoonthe late Mr. Singh
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is late formal or informal?
- It is neutral and very common in both speech and writing.
- What is the difference between late and delayed?
- Late means after the expected time. Delayed means something was held back or slowed by a reason.
- Can late describe a dead person?
- Yes. It is polite and common in phrases like "the late Mr. Khan."
- Is late used for time periods too?
- Yes. It can mean near the end of a period, like "late evening" or "late 1990s."