Etymograph

English

lately

Lately comes from Middle English latly.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500latly1as lately
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1545lately1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English lately
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1545, Inquisition post mortem of John Arundell: “The ¼th of the manor of Dunterdon is held…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500latlyWiktionary, English latelyas lately
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1545latelyWiktionary, English lately. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1545, Inquisition post mortem of John Arundell: “The ¼th of the manor of Dunterdon is held…”

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Today it means

adv Recently; not long ago; of late; not long since.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “lately”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Middle English latly / lately