belated

[bih-ley-tid]

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 Archaic.,  obsolete; old-fashioned; out-of-date.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

belated

/ bɪˈleɪtɪd /

adjective

1. late or too late

   belated greetings

Other Word Forms

• belatedly adverb
• belatedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of belated¹

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

Example Sentences

Flowers ranged from "a belated thank you for work in the energy policy division, £30" to an £85 bouquet.

Read more on BBC

The Labor Department’s release Thursday of the belated September jobs report reduced the haze, and despite signs of slowing, the U.S. economy isn’t barreling toward a cliff.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

New York’s pipeline approval, nuclear revival, and retreat from the all-electric mandate amount to a belated acknowledgment of that truth.

Read more on Barron's

That belated question drew wide attention to her appeal, even though there was little or no chance it would be seriously considered by the high court.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Sutil said she traveled from Los Angeles to visit the San Diego Zoo with her sister as a belated birthday gift and that it was a trip she would certainly not be forgetting.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• delayed 
• long-delayed www.thesaurus.com
• overdue 
• tardy