later meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

later

adv

UK /ˈleɪ.tə/ · US /ˈleɪ.tɚ/

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”).

1

Comparative comparative form of late: more late

You came in late yesterday and today you came in even later.

2

Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).

My roommate arrived first. I arrived later.
I arrived later than my roommate.

3

At some unspecified time in the future.

I wanted to do it now, but I’ll have to do it later.

4

Manglish, Singlish What if (something problematic or unanticipated happens); if not (something undesirable will happen).

Compare Malay nanti (“later; if not”)
Later you fall asleep how?

Synonyms: afterwards, hereafter, later on, someday
Antonyms: earlier, once
Derived terms: catch you later, I kill you later, neverthelater, no later than, you later alligator, shoot first and ask questions later, smell ya later, smell you later, sooner rather than later, sooner than later, to be named later

later

adj

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”).

1

Comparative comparative form of late: more late

Jim was later than John.

2

Coming afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).

The Victorian era is a later period of English history than the Elizabethan era.
The eldest son was usually given the name of his paternal grandfather, later children those of other relatives.1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xiii:

3

Coming afterward in distance (following an antecedent distance as embedded within an adverbial phrase)

I felt some leg pain during the first mile of my run and I strained my calf two miles later.

4

At some time in the future.

The meeting was adjourned to a later date.

Antonyms: earlier

later

intj

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”).

1

Slang See you later; goodbye.

Later, dude.

Derived terms: later days, later on, laters, laterward, laterwards, save for later, sooner or later