Where does “late” come from?
Late comes from Middle English late, from Old English læt, from Proto-Germanic lataz, from Proto-Indo-European lē(y)d-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European leh₁d-.
late (English): Near the end of a period of time; Specifically,...
Definitions
- Near the end of a period of time; Specifically,...
Ancestry of “late”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | late | Manner; behaviour; outward appearance or aspect;... |
| 2 | Old English | late | late |
| 3 | Old English | læt | slow; slack, lax, negligent; late |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | lētaz | freeman; bondsman; serf |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lētaną | to let, to allow; to leave alone |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₁d- | to be tired |
Words derived from “late”