Hypertext Webster Gateway: "latter"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Late \Late\, a. [Compar. {Later}, or {latter}; superl.
{Latest}.] [OE. lat slow, slack, AS. l[ae]t; akin to OS. lat,
D. laat late, G. lass weary, lazy, slack, Icel. latr, Sw.
lat, Dan. lad, Goth. lats, and to E. let, v. See {Let} to
permit, and cf. {Alas}, {Lassitude}.]
1. Coming after the time when due, or after the usual or
proper time; not early; slow; tardy; long delayed; as, a
late spring.
2. Far advanced toward the end or close; as, a late hour of
the day; a late period of life.
3. Existing or holding some position not long ago, but not
now; lately deceased, departed, or gone out of office; as,
the late bishop of London; the late administration.
4. Not long past; happening not long ago; recent; as, the
late rains; we have received late intelligence.
5. Continuing or doing until an advanced hour of the night;
as, late revels; a late watcher.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Latter \Lat"ter\, a. [OE. later, l[ae]tter, compar. of lat late.
See {Late}, and cf. {Later}.]
1. Later; more recent; coming or happening after something
else; -- opposed to {former}; as, the former and latter
rain.
2. Of two things, the one mentioned second.
The difference between reason and revelation, and in
what sense the latter is superior. --I. Watts.
3. Recent; modern.
Hath not navigation discovered in these latter ages,
whole nations at the bay of Soldania? --Locke.
4. Last; latest; final. [R.] ``My latter gasp.'' --Shak.
{Latter harvest}, the last part of the harvest.
{Latter spring}, the last part of the spring of the year.
--Shak.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
latter
adj 1: referring to the the second of two things or persons
mentioned (or the last one or ones of several); "in
the latter case" [syn: {latter(a)}] [ant: {former(a)}]
2: more advanced in time or nearer to the end in a sequence;
"these latter days"; "the latter (or last) part of the
book"; "latter (or later) part of the 18th century" [syn:
{later(a)}, {last(a)}, {latter(a)}]
n : the second of two or the second mentioned of two; "Tom and
Dick were both heroes but only the latter is remembered
today" [ant: {former}]
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