1. (

• late

) being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time; "late evening"; "late 18th century"; "a late movie"; "took a late flight"; "had a late breakfast" ;

2. (

• belated ,
• late ,
• tardy

) after the expected or usual time; delayed; "a belated birthday card"; "I'm late for the plane"; "the train is late"; "tardy children are sent to the principal"; "always tardy in making dental appointments" ;

3. (

• late ,
• recent

) of the immediate past or just previous to the present time; "a late development"; "their late quarrel"; "his recent trip to Africa"; "in recent months"; "a recent issue of the journal" ;

4. (

• late

) having died recently; "her late husband" ;

5. (

• late ,

) of a later stage in the development of a language or literature; used especially of dead languages; "Late Greek" ;

6. (

• late ,
• later ,

) 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" ;

7. (

• former ,
• late ,
• previous

) (used especially of persons) of the immediate past; "the former president"; "our late President is still very active"; "the previous occupant of the White House" ;

1. (

• late ,
• belatedly ,
• tardily ,

) later than usual or than expected; "the train arrived late"; "we awoke late"; "the children came late to school"; "notice came so tardily that we almost missed the deadline"; "I belatedly wished her a happy birthday" ;

2. (

• deep ,
• late ,

) to an advanced time; "deep into the night"; "talked late into the evening" ;

3. (

• late ,

) at an advanced age or stage; "she married late"; "undertook the project late in her career" ;

4. (

• recently ,
• late ,
• lately ,
• of_late ,
• latterly

) in the recent past; "he was in Paris recently"; "lately the rules have been enforced"; "as late as yesterday she was fine"; "feeling better of late"; "the spelling was first affected, but latterly the meaning also" ;