Latter Meaning
/ˈlæt.ə(ɹ)/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjRelating to or being the second of two items.
adjNear (or nearer) to the end.
Sentence Examples
Fish and meat are both nourishing, but the latter is more expensive than the former.
Love is above money. The latter can't give as much happiness as the former.
He presented two solutions. The latter seems much better.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
None
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
She had two options: stay or leave. She chose the ____ option, which was to depart.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He offered me tea or coffee, and I chose the ____ because I had already had several cups of tea earlier.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English latter, lattere, lattre, from Old English lætra, comparative form of læt (“late”). Equivalent to late + -er, thus a doublet of later; also, related to last, whose doublet is latest.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"On sale next to dried fish and chicken feet were rats and bats (the latter's wings in a pile like leather scraps, also for sale), plus cut-up pigs and monkeys, their faces intact."
— March 2017, Jennifer S. Holland, “For These Monkeys, It’s a Fight for Survival.”, in National Geographic:
"the difference between reason and revelation, and in what sense the latter is superior"
— 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
"Hath not navigation discovered in these latter ages, whole nations at the bay of Soldania […]?"
— 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She had two options: stay or leave. She chose the ____ option, which was to depart.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He offered me tea or coffee, and I chose the ____ because I had already had several cups of tea earlier.