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# latter

«latter» in Mova's school dictionary: **the second of two things or people just mentioned: "tea…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 4 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (latter); pronoun-like noun (the latter)

### meaning for a pupil

1) The latter means the second of two things or people just mentioned: "tea or coffee? I'll have the latter" means coffee. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#m1)

2) Latter means near the end of a time: "the latter part of the film". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In formal writing and exam language, "the former … the latter" is used to point back to two things without repeating them. In reading, it helps the reader know which one is meant. Phrases: the latter, the former and the latter, the latter part, the latter half.

### examples

- Sam and Ben both play, but the latter is better at football. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x1)
- Would you like apples or pears? The latter, please. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x2)
- In the latter part of the year, the days get shorter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x3)
- Of cats and dogs, I prefer the latter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x4)
- The former is red and the latter is blue. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x5)
- She read two books and liked the latter more. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x6)
- This latter would be useful when he began housekeeping. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/#x7)

### note

The latter = the second of two; the former = the first of two. Use "the last" if there are more than two. Do not confuse latter with "later" (after some time) or "ladder" (for climbing).

### In the corpora

- [If they were wise, they would understand this, they would discern their latter end.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/DEU.914/)
- [In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.458/)
- [Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.549/)
- [And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/JOB.746/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «latter» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/latter/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.