Word
latter
Phoneticslat·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫætɝ/
UK/lˈætɐ/
Definitions
01the second of two
B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal
adj. the second of two people or things that have just been mentioned.
adj. denoting the second of two items or people previously mentioned; often used with 'the' as a substantive noun.
“The city has a great park and a famous museum; I visited the latter yesterday.”
“The report discussed both economic growth and environmental protection, though it focused more heavily on the latter.”
Usage
Always used with 'the' when referring to the second of two items.
Pitfall
Of the two options, I prefer the later.
Of the two options, I prefer the latter.
Use 'latter' for the second of two things; 'later' refers only to time.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02near the end
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. near the end of a period of time or a process.
adj. belonging to or occurring near the end of a specified period, process, or era.
“The team played much better in the latter half of the game.”
“In the latter stages of the nineteenth century, industrialisation transformed the rural landscape beyond recognition.”
Usage
Often used in phrases like 'the latter half' or 'the latter stages'.
03the second person or thing
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the second person or thing of two that you just talked about.
n. the second of two mentioned things or people, functioning as a pronoun-like noun.
“You can pay by cash or credit card, but the latter is much easier.”
“The candidate was offered a choice between a higher salary and more vacation days; she chose the latter without hesitation.”
Usage
Functions as a noun phrase, almost always preceded by 'the'.
Teaching tip
This is very common in academic writing to avoid repeating a long noun phrase.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “latter” in context.
Adjective
01. latter author
“While both scholars provide valuable insights, the latter author offers a more comprehensive analysis of the data.”
adj + noun
02. latter capacity
“He served as both a consultant and a director, excelling particularly in the latter capacity.”
adj + noun
03. appreciation latter
04. concurrent latter
Real-World Examples
“Lawrence and Stephen Frears’s The Hit; in the next decade he produced Bertolucci’s The Sheltering Sky and David Cronenberg’s Crash, amiably laughing off the controversy for the latter.” “After Marc Guéhi and Gabriel Veiga had a coming together that left the latter with a head injury, tempers frayed.” “All these missions will help scientists monitor and respond to space weather events – and the latter goal will only grow more important.” “The defender did so as tempers frayed after a clash between Marc Guéhi and Gabriel Veiga that left the latter with a head injury, though he continued.” Etymology
From Old English lætra, comparative form of læt (“late”). Doublet of later; also, cognate with last, whose doublet is latest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/latter