What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Impromptu vs Late - What's the difference?

impromptu | late |

As nouns the difference between impromptu and late

is that impromptu is (music) a short musical composition for an informal occasion often with the character of improvisation and usually to be played solo while late is (kind of) hatchet, axe, chopper.

As an adjective impromptu

is improvised; without prior preparation, planning or rehearsal; extemporaneous; unplanned.

impromptu

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Improvised; without prior preparation, planning or rehearsal; extemporaneous; unplanned.
    • The party began with an impromptu rendition of 'Happy Birthday'.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (music) a short musical composition for an informal occasion often with the character of improvisation and usually to be played solo.
  • any composition, musical or otherwise, that is created on the spot without preparation.

    • late

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Near the end of a period of time.
  • Specifically, near the end of the day.
  • (usually, not used comparatively) Associated with the end of a period.
  • Not arriving until after an expected time.
  • Not having had an expected menstrual period.
  • (deceased)(not comparable, euphemistic) Deceased, dead:
  • * , chapter=12
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.}}
  • Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not now; departed, or gone out of office.
  • Recent — relative to the noun it modifies.
  • * 1914 , (Robert Frost), (North of Boston) , "A Hundred Collars":
    • Lancaster bore him — such a little town, / Such a great man. It doesn't see him often / Of late years, though he keeps the old homestead / And sends the children down there with their mother

    Usage notes

    * (deceased) (term) in this sense is unusual among English adjectives in that it qualifies named individuals (in phrases like (term)) without creating a contrast with another Mary who is not late. Contrast (hungry): a phrase like (term) is usually only used if another Mary is under discussion who is not hungry.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) A shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night.
  • * 2007 , Paul W Browning, The Good Guys Wear Blue
    • At about 11 pm one night in Corporation Street my watch were on van patrol and Yellow Watch were on lates as usual.

    Adverb

    (er)
  • 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.

    • Derived terms

    * a day late and a dollar short * as of late * better late than never * * late bloomer * latecomer * late in the day * late in the game * lately * late night * later * sooner or later

    References

    * 2009 April 3, , "Re: Has 'late' split up into a pair of homonyms?", message-ID <bdb13686-a6e4-43cd-8445-efe353365394@l13g2000vba.googlegroups.com>, alt.usage.english'' and ''sci.lang , Usenet.

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * * * * * * * 1000 English basic words ----