belated

American  

[bih-ley-tid] / bɪˈleɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. coming or being after the customary, useful, or expected time.

   belated birthday greetings.

2. late, delayed, or detained.

   We started the meeting without the belated representative.

3. Archaic. obsolete; old-fashioned; out-of-date.

   a belated view of world politics.

4. Archaic. overtaken by darkness or night.

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belated British  

/ bɪˈleɪtɪd /

adjective

1. late or too late

   belated greetings

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Other Word Forms

• belatedly adverb
• belatedness noun

Etymology

Origin of belated

First recorded in 1610–20; belate “to delay” ( be- + late ) + -ed ²

Example Sentences

An even more welcome addition to our already bulging shelves is the belated arrival of a largely complete studio discography of Britain’s greatest conductor, and certainly its most self-possessed: the musical grandee Sir Thomas Beecham.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Ashes: England's belated resistance ends as Australia retain the Ashes.

From BBC

What is your biggest takeaway from the belated November report?

From The Wall Street Journal

One of the world's most bootlegged recordings - Fatboy Slim's Satisfaction Skank - is finally being released, after the Rolling Stones gave belated approval for the song's pivotal sample.

From BBC

The final report of Operation Kenova also said the belated discovery and disclosure of documents by MI5 to the investigation last year was "a serious organisational failure".

From BBC

Related Words

• delayed
• long-delayed
• overdue
• tardy