adj
Meaning 1
comparative form of late: more late
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: comparative, form-of
Examples
- Jim was later than John.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
later
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˈleɪ.tə/
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US: lāʹtər
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US: /ˈleɪ.tɚ/
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US: [ˈleɪ̯.ɾɚ]
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -eɪtə(ɹ)
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CMU ARPABET: L EY1 T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Coming afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The Victorian era is a later period of English history than the Elizabethan era.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Coming afterward in distance (following an antecedent distance as embedded within an adverbial phrase)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I felt some leg pain during the first mile of my run and I strained my calf two miles later.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
At some time in the future.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- The meeting was adjourned to a later date.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 5
comparative form of late: more late
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: comparative, form-of
Examples
- You came in late yesterday and today you came in even later.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 6
Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- My roommate arrived first. I arrived later.
- I arrived later than my roommate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 7
At some unspecified time in the future.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I wanted to do it now, but I’ll have to do it later.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 8
What if (something problematic or unanticipated happens); if not (something undesirable will happen).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Manglish, Singlish
Examples
- Compare Malay nanti (“later; if not”)
- Later you fall asleep how?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sekali
Antonyms: none provided
intj
Meaning 9
See you later; goodbye.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
Examples
- Later, dude.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 10
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he apologized subsequently
- he's going to the store but he'll be back here later
- it didn't happen until afterward
- two hours after that
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: subsequently, afterwards, afterward, after, later on
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 11
at some eventual time in the future
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- By and by he'll understand
- I'll see you later
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: by and by
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 12
comparative of the adverb `late'
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- he stayed later than you did
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
* Adverb: From Middle English later, latere, from Old English lator, equivalent to late + -er. * Adjective: From Middle English later, latere, from Old English lætra, equivalent to late + -er. Cognate with Saterland Frisian leeter (“later”), West Frisian letter (“later”), Dutch later (“later”), German Low German later (“later”).
Across languages
Translations
191 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: по-късен (po-kǎsen) — more late
- Finnish: myöhempi — more late
- French: plus en retard — more late
- Hungarian: később — more late
- Italian: più in ritardo — more late
- Polish: późniejszy — more late
- Portuguese: mais tarde — more late
- Spanish: más tarde — more late
- Swedish: senare — more late
- Bulgarian: по-късен (po-kǎsen) — coming afterward in time
- Finnish: myöhempi — coming afterward in time
- French: postérieur — coming afterward in time
- Ancient Greek: ὕστερος (hústeros) — coming afterward in time
- Italian: posteriore — coming afterward in time
- Polish: późniejszy — coming afterward in time
- Portuguese: subsequentemente — coming afterward in time
- Portuguese: posterior — coming afterward in time
- Spanish: posterior — coming afterward in time
- Catalan: futur — at some time in the future
- Esperanto: posta — at some time in the future
- Finnish: myöhempi — at some time in the future
- Polish: późniejszy — at some time in the future
- Portuguese: mais atrasado — at some time in the future
- Spanish: posterior — at some time in the future
- Arabic: فِيمَا بَعْد (fīmā baʕd) — more late
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — more late
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — more late
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — more late
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — more late
- Assamese: পিছত (pisot) — more late
- Central Bikol: atyan — more late
- Bulgarian: по́-къ́сно (pó-kǎ́sno) — more late
- Chickasaw: alhchimbakma̱ — more late
- Chinese Cantonese: 遲啲 /迟啲 (ci4 di1) — more late
- Chinese Mandarin: 更遲 /更迟 (gèng chí) — more late
- Czech: později — more late
- Danish: senere — more late
- Dutch: later — more late
- Esperanto: pli malfrue — more late
- Estonian: hiljem — more late
- Finnish: myöhemmin — more late
- Galician: máis tarde — more late
- German: später — more late
- Hebrew: יוֹתֵר מְאֻחָר (yotér m'ukhár) — more late
- Hindi: बाद में (bād mẽ) — more late
- Japanese: 後に (ato ni) — more late
- Korean: 후에 (hue) — more late
- Korean: 후 (hu) — more late
- Ladino: mas tadre — more late
- Latin: sētius — more late
- Latvian: vēlāk — more late
- Macedonian: подоцна (podocna) — more late
- Macedonian: покасно (pokasno) — more late
- Malay: nanti — more late
- Norwegian: senere — more late
- Persian: دیرتر (dirtar) — more late
- Polish: później — more late
- Portuguese: mais atrasado — more late
- Romanian: mai târziu — more late
- Russian: по́зже (pózže) — more late
- Russian: поздне́е (pozdnéje) — more late
- Serbo-Croatian: касније — more late
- Serbo-Croatian: kasnije — more late
- Tagalog: mas nahuli — more late
- Tok Pisin: bihain — more late
- Ukrainian: пізні́ше (pizníše) — more late
- Urdu: بعد میں (bād mẽ) — more late
- Uzbek: kechroq — more late
- Arabic: لَاحِقًا (lāḥiqan) — afterward in time
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — afterward in time
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — afterward in time
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — afterward in time
- Armenian: ավելի ուշ (aveli uš) — afterward in time
- Armenian: հետո (heto) — afterward in time
- Central Bikol: atyan — afterward in time
- Bislama: bihaen — afterward in time
- Bulgarian: по-късно (po-kǎsno) — afterward in time
- Catalan: després — afterward in time
- Chinese Cantonese: 之後 /之后 (zi1 hau6) — afterward in time
- Chinese Cantonese: 遲過 /迟过 (ci4 gwo3) — afterward in time
- Chinese: 後頭 /后头 (āu-thâu / ǎu-thâu) — afterward in time
- Chinese: 後來 /后来 (zh-min-nan) — afterward in time
- Chinese: 較停 /较停 (khà-thêng / khah-thêng) — afterward in time
- Chinese: 較停仔 /较停仔 (zh-min-nan) — afterward in time
- Chinese: 等咧 (zh-min-nan) — afterward in time
- Chinese Mandarin: 以後 /以后 (yǐhòu) — afterward in time
- Chinese Mandarin: 後面 /后面 (hòumian) — afterward in time
- Czech: pozdější — afterward in time
- Danish: senere — afterward in time
- Dutch: later — afterward in time
- Esperanto: poste — afterward in time
- Estonian: hiljem — afterward in time
- Finnish: myöhemmin — afterward in time
- French: plus tard — afterward in time
- Galician: despois — afterward in time
- Galician: logo — afterward in time
- Georgian: შემდეგ (šemdeg) — afterward in time
- Georgian: შემდეგში (šemdegši) — afterward in time
- German: später — afterward in time
- German: nachher — afterward in time
- Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐌸𐌴 (biþē) — afterward in time
- Greek: αργότερα (argótera) — afterward in time
- Ancient Greek: ὑστέρως (hustérōs) — afterward in time
- Hebrew: יוֹתֵר מְאֻחָר (yotér m'ukhár) — afterward in time
- Italian: più tardi — afterward in time
- Italian: dopo — afterward in time
- Japanese: 後で (ato de) — afterward in time
- Kazakh: кейінірек (keiınırek) — afterward in time
- Korean: 나중에 (najung'e) — afterward in time
- Central Kurdish: دوایی (dwayî) — afterward in time
- Latin: sētius — afterward in time
- Latvian: vēlāk — afterward in time
- Manchu: ᠠᠮᠠᠯᠠ (amala) — afterward in time
- Manchu: ᠮᠠᠩᡤᡳ (manggi) — afterward in time
- Māori: auina iho — afterward in time
- Norman: pus tard — afterward in time
- Persian: دیرتر (dirtar) — afterward in time
- Polish: później — afterward in time
- Portuguese: mais tarde — afterward in time
- Portuguese: depois — afterward in time
- Romanian: mai târziu — afterward in time
- Russian: по́зже (pózže) — afterward in time
- Russian: по́сле (pósle) — afterward in time
- Russian: пото́м (potóm) — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: после — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: posle — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: docnije — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: potom — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: poslije — afterward in time
- Serbo-Croatian: kasnije — afterward in time
- Spanish: más tarde — afterward in time
- Spanish: después — afterward in time
- Spanish: luego — afterward in time
- Swahili: baadaye — afterward in time
- Swedish: senare — afterward in time
- Tagalog: mamaya — afterward in time
- Telugu: ఆలస్యము (ālasyamu) — afterward in time
- Turkish: sonra — afterward in time
- Ukrainian: пізні́ше (pizníše) — afterward in time
- Vietnamese: sau — afterward in time
- Welsh: nes ymlaen — afterward in time
- Arabic: فِيمَا بَعْد (fī-mā baʕd) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Arabic: فِيمَا بَعْدُ (fī-mā baʕdu) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Arabic: بعدين (baʕdēn) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Bulgarian: по́сле (pósle) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Bulgarian: по́-ната́тък (pó-natátǎk) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Catalan: posteriorment — at some unspecified time in the future
- Chickasaw: alhchimbakma̱ — at some unspecified time in the future
- Chinese Cantonese: 陣間 /阵间 (zan6 gaan1) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Ngazidja Comorian: halafu — at some unspecified time in the future
- Dutch: later — at some unspecified time in the future
- Finnish: myöhemmin — at some unspecified time in the future
- French: plus tard — at some unspecified time in the future
- Hebrew: יוֹתֵר מְאֻחָר (yotér m'ukhár) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Hungarian: majd — at some unspecified time in the future
- Italian: più tardi — at some unspecified time in the future
- Kazakh: кейін (keiın) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Central Kurdish: دوایی (dwayî) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Malay: nanti — at some unspecified time in the future
- Norman: pus tard — at some unspecified time in the future
- Persian: بعداً (ba'dan) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Persian: بعدتر (ba'dtar) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Polish: później — at some unspecified time in the future
- Portuguese: mais tarde — at some unspecified time in the future
- Romanian: mai târziu — at some unspecified time in the future
- Russian: по́зже (pózže) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Russian: пото́м (potóm) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Serbo-Croatian: после — at some unspecified time in the future
- Serbo-Croatian: posle — at some unspecified time in the future
- Serbo-Croatian: potom — at some unspecified time in the future
- Serbo-Croatian: poslije — at some unspecified time in the future
- Serbo-Croatian: kasnije — at some unspecified time in the future
- Swahili: baadaye — at some unspecified time in the future
- Swedish: senare — at some unspecified time in the future
- Telugu: తరవాత (taravāta) — at some unspecified time in the future
- Welsh: nes ymlaen — at some unspecified time in the future
- Bulgarian: довиждане (doviždane) — see you later
- Catalan: fins aviat — see you later
- Dutch: later — see you later
- Finnish: nähdään — see you later
- Finnish: katsellaan myöhemmin — see you later
- French: à plus — see you later
- German: bis bald — see you later
- Icelandic: heyrumst — see you later
- Icelandic: sjáumst — see you later
- Polish: nara — see you later
- Portuguese: até mais — see you later
- Portuguese: falou — see you later
- Portuguese: até logo — see you later
- Spanish: hasta luego — see you later
Real reading context