latecomer

/ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/

//ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə// noun

"latecomer" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“latecomer” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - One who has arrived comparatively recently.

Key facts for latecomer
PropertyValue
Headwordlatecomer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “latecomer” sits in English frequency

latecomer falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

latecomer is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for latecomer, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From late + comer. The correct English form is latecomer, spelled L-A-T-E-C-O-M-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    One who has arrived comparatively recently.
  2. 2
    One who arrived late.

Etymology

From late + comer.

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "latecomer"?
"latecomer" is spelled L-A-T-E-C-O-M-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/.
What does "latecomer" mean?
As a noun, "latecomer" means: One who has arrived comparatively recently.
How do you pronounce "latecomer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "latecomer" is /ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "latecomer"?
From late + comer. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “latecomer”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-A-T-E-C-O-M-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈleɪtˌkʌm.ə/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list