late
adverb
leɪt 
leɪt 
1 after the expected, arranged or usual timeI got up late.Can I stay up late tonight?She has to work late tomorrow.The big stores are open later on Thursdays.She married late.The birthday card arrived three days late.2 near the end of a period of time, a person's life, etclate in March/the afternoonIt happened late last year.As late as (= as recently as) the 1950s, tuberculosis was still a fatal illness.He became an author late in life.3 near the end of the dayThere's a good film on late.Late that evening, there was a knock at the door.Share prices fell early on but rose again late in the day.They worked late into the night to finish the report.Opposite
early see also laterIdioms
better late than never
(saying) used especially when you, or somebody else, arrive/arrives late, or when something such as success happens late, to say that this is better than not coming or happening at alllate in the day
(disapproving) after the time when an action could be successfulHe started working hard much too late in the day—he couldn't possibly catch up.late of…
(formal) until recently working or living in the place mentionedProfessor Jones, late of Oxford Universityof late
(formal) recentlyI haven't seen him of late.The situation has become more confusing of late.too late
after the time when it is possible to do something successfully
She's left it too late to apply for the job.I realized the truth too late.
Usage note: late / latelyLate and lately are both adverbs, but late is used with similar meanings to the adjective late, whereas lately can only mean ‘recently’: We arrived two hours late. ◇ I haven’t heard from him lately. Lately is usually used with a perfect tense of the verb.Look also at the idioms be too late (at the adjective) and too late (at the adverb).