Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LATE, a. [Sax. læt, lat; Goth. lata; D. laat; Sw. lat; Dan. lad, idle, lazy; Goth. latyan, Sax. latian, to delay or retard. This word is from the root of let, the sense of which is to draw out, extend or prolong, hence to be slow or late. See Let. This adjective has regular terminations of the comparative and superlative degrees, later, latest, but it has also latter, and latest is often contracted into last.]

1. Coming after the usual time; slow; tardy; long delayed; as, a late spring; a late summer. The crops or harvest will be late.
2. Far advanced toward the end or close; as, a late hour of the day. He began at a late period of his life.
3. Last, or recently in any place, office or character, as, the late ministry; the late administration.
4. Existing not long ago, but now decayed or departed; as, the late bishop of London.
5. Not long past; happening not long ago; recent; as, the late rains. We have received late intelligence.