latter
adjUS /ˈlæt.ɚ/ · /ˈlæt.ə(ɹ)/
Etymology From Middle English latter, lattere, lattre, from Old English lætra, comparative form of læt (“late”). Equivalent to late + -er, thus a doublet of later; also, related to last, whose doublet is latest.
1
Relating to or being the second of two items.
- The archaic past participle shapen is only used in misshapen, ill-shapen, and well-shapen (the latter two are much less common, though).
- On sale next to dried fish and chicken feet were rats and bats (the latter's wings in a pile like leather scraps, also for sale), plus cut-up pigs and monkeys, their faces intact.March 2017, Jennifer S. Holland, “For These Monkeys, It’s a Fight for Survival.”, in National Geographic:
1 more example
- the difference between reason and revelation, and in what sense the latter is superior1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
2
Near (or nearer) to the end.
- the latter part of the century
3
In the past, but close (or closer) to the present time.
- In his latter years my dad became very absent-minded.
- Hath not navigation discovered in these latter ages, whole nations at the bay of Soldania […]?1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:
- Antonyms
- former
- Derived terms
- at latter Lammas, latter end, lattermost, latterness
- Related terms
- last, latter-day, latterly, lattermath