Meaning
Meaning at some unspecified time in the future.
Practice Bank
3 exercisesI can't meet today, but perhaps we can catch up ____.
She said she'd call me back ____ with more details.
Don't worry about it now; we can discuss that ____.
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The phrase 'later on' is a combination of 'later' and 'on'. 'Later' comes from the Old English 'læt' (late) and the comparative suffix '-ra'. 'On' comes from the Old English 'on' (upon, in, into). The phrase 'later on' began to be used in the English language to indicate a point in time subsequent to the present or a previously mentioned time, often with a sense of indefiniteness about when that future time might be. Its usage became more common in the 19th century, evolving from simpler expressions of 'later' to add emphasis or a slightly more casual tone with the addition of 'on'. This construction emphasizes the continuation or progression of time to a subsequent, often unspecified, point. It functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs to indicate when an action will occur.
