- 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.
Latest revenue figures lack meaningful upside after the stock’s sharp recent rally.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Latest figures show the unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds is 16.2%, the highest since 2014, and more than three times the broader unemployment rate of 5%.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
Latest figures from 2021 show that just 0.7% of people on Sheppey travel to work by bus - six times less than the England average of 4.3%.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Latest opinion polls give Frederiksen's Social Democrats by the far the largest share of the vote, on more than 20%, well ahead of the Liberals and Green Left.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
Momma started ticking off the things that Byron called his Latest Fantastic Adventures.
From "The Watsons Go to Birmingham" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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.
