later
/ˈleɪ.tɚ/adverb, adjective, interjection
later is spelled L-A-T-E-R: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 309 times per million words in written English, the 306th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adverb, later means “Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in later?
| Letters | 5: L-A-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 309 times per million words; the 306th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is later?
Later appears 309 times per million words in written English, the 306th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce later?
- UK /ˈleɪ.tə/
- US /ˈleɪ.tɚ/
- US [ˈleɪ̯.ɾɚ]
Later has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-later.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with later?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as later from its last stressed vowel (/eɪtəɹ/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: alert, alter, taler, artel, ratel.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
What does later mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adverb
- 1
comparative form of late: more late
You came in late yesterday and today you came in even later.
- 2
Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).
My roommate arrived first. I arrived later.
- 3
At some unspecified time in the future.
I wanted to do it now, but I’ll have to do it later.
- 4
What if (something problematic or unanticipated happens); if not (something undesirable will happen).
Compare Malay nanti (“later; if not”)
adjective
- 1
comparative form of late: more late
Jim was later than John.
- 2
Coming afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time).
The Victorian era is a later period of English history than the Elizabethan era.
- 3
Coming afterward in distance (following an antecedent distance as embedded within an adverbial phrase)
I felt some leg pain during the first mile of my run and I strained my calf two miles later.
- 4
At some time in the future.
The meeting was adjourned to a later date.
interjection
- 1
slangSee you later; goodbye.
Later, dude.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Later in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | plus en retard , plus tard , postérieur , à plus |
| German | später , nachher , bis bald |
| Portuguese | mais atrasado , mais tarde, depois , subsequentemente, posterior , até mais |
| Spanish | más tarde , después, luego , posterior , hasta luego |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.