- superlative of late.
adjective
adjective
noun
-
no later than the time specified
-
informal the most recent fashion or development
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of latest
A late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at late, -est 1
Explanation
Something that's the latest is the newest, most recent example of that thing. For example, some people always need to have the latest cellphone model, while you're perfectly happy with the one that came out three years ago. You can listen to a singer's latest single, or read a novelist's latest book — the ones most recently written and released. The adjective latest can also describe the very most fashionable thing, like the latest hairstyle or the latest men's suit design. "The latest" is also sometimes used to mean "the news," so you could say, "Hey, have you all heard the latest on the flood at school?"
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Ochieng described this latest mutiny as evidence of longstanding grievances within Niger's own military, compounded by the pressure the soldiers have been facing.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
It is the latest in a list of achievements for Doncaster's Greaves which include her becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking title when she beat Michael Smith in April.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Hugging Face raised close to $400 million over the years, and its latest private valuation was $4.5 billion, according to research firm PitchBook.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Smucker’s Sweet Baked Snacks sales fell 7% from a year earlier in the latest quarter.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
“Yep. I’m going to bring water somehow. And head out at seven o’clock at the latest, I think. So this doesn’t happen again.”
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Of course, that doesn’t stop either faction from being suckered in by Frank’s latests hoax at the end of the episode.
From Time ● Sep. 12, 2013
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
