Late vs Latest - What's the difference?
late | latest |
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= 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":
(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
After a deadline has passed, past a designated time.
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.
(late)
Last, final.
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.i:
Most recent.
At the latest.
The most recent thing, particularly information or news.
*
* {{quote-book, title=Puritan Boston and Quaker Philadelphia, page=54, books.google.com/books?isbn=156000830X,
author=(Edward Digby Baltzell), year=1979, passage=It has often been said that Philadelphia is the city of firsts, Boston of bests, and New York of latests .}}
As adjectives the difference between late and latest
is that late is near the end of a period of time while latest is superlative of late.As nouns the difference between late and latest
is that late is a shift (scheduled work period) that takes place late in the day or at night while latest is the most recent thing, particularly information or news.As adverbs the difference between late and latest
is that late is after a deadline has passed, past a designated time while latest is superlative of late POS=adverb.late
English
Adjective
(er)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.}}
- 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)- 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)- We drove as fast as we could, but we still arrived late .
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 laterReferences
* 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 ----latest
English
Adjective
(-)- Whiles the sad pang approching she does feele, / Brayes out her latest breath, and vp her eyes doth seele.
- Here is the latest news on the accident.
Adverb
(head)- Complete the XYZ task latest by today 5:00PM.
Noun
(en noun)- Have you heard the latest ?
- What's the latest on the demonstrations in New York?
- Have you met Jane's latest ? I hear he's a hunk.