Pronunciation: /leɪt/

Definitions of late

adjective occurring or arriving after the expected time

Example Sentences

A1 I am always late for school.

A2 She missed the bus because she woke up late.

B1 The late arrival of the package caused inconvenience.

B2 The project deadline was extended due to the late submission of materials.

C1 His late arrival at the meeting was seen as disrespectful.

C2 The late payment of the invoice resulted in additional fees.

adverb at or to a time or period subsequent to the proper time

Example Sentences

A1 I arrived late to the party.

A2 She always wakes up late on weekends.

B1 The train was late, so I missed my appointment.

B2 He apologized for being late to the meeting.

C1 Despite leaving early, I still arrived late to the conference.

C2 The flight was delayed, causing us to arrive late at our destination.

Examples of late in a Sentence

formal The employee arrived late to the meeting, causing a delay in the presentation.

informal Sorry I'm late, traffic was terrible.

slang I can't believe you're still running on CP time, showing up late to everything.

figurative His apology came too late, as the damage had already been done.

Grammatical Forms of late

past tense

lated

plural

lates

comparative

later

superlative

latest

present tense

late

future tense

will be late

perfect tense

have been late

continuous tense

is being late

singular

late

positive degree

late

infinitive

to late

gerund

lating

participle

lated

Origin and Evolution of late

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'late' originated from the Old English word 'læt' which meant slow or tardy.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'late' expanded to also refer to something that occurs near the end of a period of time or someone who has passed away. It has evolved to encompass both the literal and figurative sense of being delayed or occurring after the expected time.