Where does “latecomer” come from?
Latecomer is a compound of late, from Middle English late, Old English læt, Proto-Germanic lataz, and Proto-Indo-European leh₁d-, meaning to be slow or sluggish, combined with comer.
latecomer (English): One who has arrived comparatively recently; One...
Definitions
- One who has arrived comparatively recently; One...
Ancestry of “latecomer”, step by step
latecomer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English late
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | late | Near the end of a period of time; Specifically,... |
| 2 | Middle English | late | Manner; behaviour; outward appearance or aspect;... |
| 3 | Old English | late | slow(ly) |
| 4 | Old English | læt | slow; slack, lax, negligent; late |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | lētaz | freeman; bondsman; serf |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lētaną | to let, to allow; to leave alone |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | leh₁d- | to be tired |