later

/ˈleɪtər/
at a time in the future

I'll see you later.

This means the speaker will meet the person at a future time.


informal

at a time in the future

Let's talk about this later.

The speaker suggests discussing the topic at a later time.

Often used to politely postpone a conversation or action.

Collocations

see you latera common way to say goodbyetalk laterto discuss something at a future time

Related Phrases

see you laterphrase
a casual way to say goodbye

Pro Tip

Polite Postponement

Use 'later' to politely delay a conversation or action without being rude.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

The meaning of 'later' depends on the context—it can refer to a short or long time in the future.

Word Origin

From Middle English 'latter', from Old English 'lǣtra' (comparative of 'lǣt', meaning 'late').

Usage Notes

Can be used as an adverb or noun (e.g., 'the later years of his life').

Word Breakdown

late
happening after the expected or usual time
root
+
-er
comparative suffix
suffix
English Dictionary