late

adjective10

1. •
   not arriving or starting at the expected time, but after it

   • The flowers were late in blooming because of the prolonged cold weather.
   • Panos was so late that he arrived at the meeting after Antonio, who had the excuse of being in hospital for most of the night.
2. •
   (euphemistic) Not having had an expected menstrual period.

   • I'm late, honey. Could you buy a test?
3. •
   Near the end of a period of time.

   • The seedlings appeared to be coming along nicely until a late frost killed them.
   • The meeting is convened for late morning.
4. •
   Specifically, near the end of the day.

   • It was getting late and I was tired.
5. •
   Associated with the end of a period.

   • Late Latin is less fully inflected than Classical Latin.
6. •
   Recently 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.)

   • Her late husband had left her well provided for.
   • Mary was entitled to the crown by her late father’s testament.
7. •
   Levied as a surcharge on a payment which has not arrived by a specified deadline.

   • The power company suspended late fees during the pandemic.
8. •
   Recent — relative to the noun it modifies.

   • Lancaster bore him—such a little town, / Such a great man. It doesn't see him often / Of late years, though he keeps the old homestead / And sends the children down there with their mother[…] — 1914
9. •
   (old-fashioned) Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not now; departed, or gone out of office.

   • By Edvvard Reynoldes, late Preacher to the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inne: And now Rector of the Church of Braunston in Northamptonshire. — 1640
10. •
    Of a star or class of stars, cooler than the sun.

adverb3

1. •
   After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.

   • We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late.
2. •
   Formerly, especially in the context of service in a military unit.

   • Colonel Easterwood, late of the 34th Carbines, was a guest at the dinner party.
   • The Hendersons will all be there / Late of Pablo Fanque's Fair / What a scene!
3. •
   Not long ago; just now, recently.

   • He shall doe this, or else I doe recant / The pardon that I late pronounced heere. — 1596

noun1

1. •
   (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night.

   • At about 11 pm one night in Corporation Street my watch were on van patrol and Yellow Watch were on late as usual. — 2007

noun1

1. •
   Acronym of limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, a form of dementia.

   • The clinical entity LATE (limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy) has recently emerged. — 2020