later

Later is a word used primarily to indicate a point in time after the present or after a referenced moment. As an adverb, it most often means “at some time after now” or “afterwards,” as in “I’ll call you later” or “We’ll discuss that later.” It can also modify phrases such as “later on,” which emphasizes a point further along in time after an event or moment already mentioned.

As an adjective, later is the comparative form of late. It is used to compare two times or moments, typically with reference to when something happens relative to another event: “We arrived later than they did,” or “the later hours of the day.” The superlative form is latest, which describes the most recent or most delayed time among a group.

Etymology traces later to late, which originates from Old English lǣt, meaning slow or tardy, and developed into a comparative form used for time. The sense of “afterward” emerged as the word shifted from describing lateness to describing sequence in time.

Usage notes:

- Later is commonly used in everyday speech to postpone actions: “See you later.”

- It signals reference points in time relative to the present or another event.

- Phrases such as later today, later this week, or later on are common variations that anchor timing.

- In formal writing, later is often paired with explicit time markers or comparisons to avoid ambiguity.

In summary, later functions mainly as a time-related adverb indicating postponement or sequence, and as the comparative form of late when describing differences in timing.