What does lated mean?
Lated is a rare past-tense and past-participle form of the obsolete verb late. In its older usage, late could mean either to be late or to make something else late, so lated could describe a person or thing that was delayed, or an action that caused a delay. For example, a storm could late the arrival of a train, although it is much more natural today to say that the storm delayed the train. The form is chiefly encountered in older literary texts rather than modern speech or writing. Its principal historical interest lies in preserving an earlier meaning of late as a verb. Present-day speakers normally choose delayed, postponed, held up, or deferred, depending on whether the situation involves tardiness, a changed timetable, or a deliberate deferral.
verbA rare inflected form of the now-obsolete verb late, meaning to make or be late. It can function as the past tense or past participle.
- To be late or delayed.
- To make late, delay, or postpone.
"The delayed train lated the entire journey by two hours."
"The storm lated the arrival of the rescue team."
"The final announcement lated until nearly midnight."
Lated preserves an old sense of late: not merely arriving after the expected time, but making something late happen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lated come from?
Lated was formed by adding the regular past-tense and past-participle ending -ed to the older verb late. Late itself continues the adjective and adverb that existed in Old English, while the now-obsolete verbal use developed from the idea of being or making something late.
How lated is actually used
This is an obsolete or literary inflected form and is not normally used in contemporary English. Modern speakers generally use delayed, postponed, or deferred instead.