late

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.

In Southern U.S., "evening" is used for middle to late afternoon.

Specifically, near the end of the day.

It was getting late and I was tired.

(not comparable, usually)(usually not comparable) Associated with the end of a period.

Late Latin is less fully inflected than Classical Latin.

Not arriving or occurring until after an expected time.

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.

The heavy snow made all the trains late.

Đồng nghĩa: tardy

Levied as a surcharge on a payment which has not arrived by a specified deadline.

The power company suspended late fees during the pandemic.

Not having had an expected menstrual period.

I'm late, honey. Could you buy a test?

(euphemistic, not comparable)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.

(dated)Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not now; departed, or gone out of office.

the late bishop of London

the late administration

1862, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret It was a lonely place enough, even in all its rustic beauty, for so bright a creature as the late Miss Lucy Graham, but the generous baronet had transformed the interior of the gray old mansion into a little palace for his young wife, and Lady Audley seemed as happy as a child surrounded by new and costly toys.

Recent — relative to the noun it modifies.

the late war

(astronomy) Of a star or class of stars, cooler than the sun.

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

After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.

We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late.

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!

Linda Smith, late of 13 Oxford Street.

Not long ago; just now, recently.