# later

Pronunciation: US say "LAY-tur" /ˈleɪ.tɚ/; UK say "LAY-tuh" /ˈleɪ.tə/

## Adverb

1. At a time after another time, or after the usual or expected time; afterward ('two years later'; 'later than promised').
   - Simple: After another time, or after the usual or expected time.
   - _The package arrived a full week later than the seller promised._
   - _He went to bed much later than he had intended._
2. At a time in the future that is left vague or not yet fixed.
   - Simple: At some time in the future, but not a set time.
   - _Let's discuss the budget later, once everyone has had lunch._
   - _She said she would deal with the paperwork later._

## Adjective

3. Coming after another time or event, or happening at some time in the future ('a later edition'; 'postponed to a later date').
   - Simple: Coming after something else, or happening at a time in the future.
   - _The later editions of the book corrected several printing errors._
   - _The hearing was moved to a later date because the judge was ill._
4. Associated with the closing stage of a period, a lifetime or a career, not with its early part.
   - Simple: Coming near the end of a time, a person's life or their working life, not near the start.
   - _In the later years of the war, food shortages grew worse in the cities._
   - _In his later years the painter worked slowly, finishing only a few canvases before he died._
6. Farther along a route, used after a stated distance ('two miles later').
   - Simple: After going a certain distance along the way.
   - _She passed the old mill, and several blocks later found the address._
   - _The road forked at the river, and a quarter mile later reached the village._

## Interjection

5. A casual parting word meaning goodbye, clipped from 'see you later'. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A casual way to say goodbye, short for 'see you later'.
   - _'Later,' she called over her shoulder, already heading for the door._
   - _The guys bumped fists and said 'Later' before splitting up for the night._

## Other meanings

- (adverb) 'What if' or 'or else'; used to express concern that something undesirable or unexpected may happen.

## Origin

From Middle English later, from Old English lator (adverb) and lætra (adjective), formed from "late" plus "-er". It is related to Dutch later and German Low German later.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/later (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).