late
adjective
1. being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
- late evening
- late 18th century
- a late movie
Similar word(s): advanced, ripe, latish, posthumous
2. after the expected or usual time; delayed
- a belated birthday card
- I'm late for the plane
- the train is late
Similar word(s): unpunctual, belated, tardy
3. of the immediate past or just previous to the present time
- a late development
- their late quarrel
4. having died recently
- her late husband
Similar word(s): dead
5. of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages
- Late Greek
6. at or toward an end or late period or stage of development
- the late phase of feudalism
- a later symptom of the disease
- later medical science could have saved the child
Similar word(s): advanced, tardive, later
7. (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
- our late President is still very active
Similar word(s): past, former, previous
Sentences with late as an adjective:
- It was late in the evening when we finally arrived.
- It was getting late and I was tired.
- Late Latin is less fully inflected than classical Latin.
- Even though we drove as fast as we could, we were still late.
- 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.
- I'm late, honey. Could you buy a test?
- Her late husband had left her well provided for.
- The piece was composed by the late Igor Stravinsky.
- the late bishop of London;
adverb
1. later than usual or than expected
- the train arrived late
- we awoke late
- the children came late to school
Similar word(s): belatedly, tardily
2. to an advanced time
- talked late into the evening
Similar word(s): deep
3. at an advanced age or stage
- she married late
- undertook the project late in her career
4. in the recent past
- lately the rules have been enforced
- as late as yesterday she was fine
- feeling better of late
Similar word(s): lately, latterly, recently
Sentences with late as an adverb:
- We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late.
- Colonel Easterwood, late of the 34th Carbines, was a guest at the dinner party.
noun
1. (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night.