the latter

noun

1

: the second one of two things or people that have been mentioned

Of these two options, the former is less expensive, while the latter is less risky.

2

: the last thing or person mentioned

Of chicken, fish, and meat, I like the latter best.

3

: the thing or person that has just been mentioned

The President—or, if the latter is too busy, the Vice President—will see you shortly.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Saturday’s Open Division championship game between Desert Vista and Millennium was the latter. —Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2023

Two standouts are the pyramids of El Tigre and La Danta, the latter with a height of 236 feet and a volume greater than those of the pyramids of Egypt and the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico, Hansen said. —Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2023

If the response is the latter, Lapuerta considers that a micro trend, saying that those are probably not good investments in the long run. —Frances Solá-santiago, refinery29.com, 1 Mar. 2023

Forever is a long time to be stuck with the wrong china (or spouse for that matter), but have no fear: Rachel Zoe is here to help brides and grooms-to-be (with the former, not the latter). —Lindzi Scharf, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2023

The former will dive deep into the private aviation industry and cryptocurrency while the latter is expected to follow the UK’s high finance scene. —Louisa Ballhaus, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2023

The former has improved during ACC play — over his last 15 games, he's tallied 75 assists against just 47 turnovers — but Payne is still waiting on the latter to follow suit. —The Courier-Journal, 27 Feb. 2023

Chef and co-owner Andrew Markert grafts Chinese shrimp toast onto a Vietnamese banh mi with an application of a Philippine-style crab fat sauce, the latter fortified with enough crab meat to resemble a kind of pâté. —Tim Carman, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023

Ingersoll was a longtime friend of Greenberg, even before the latter was elected Seminole’s tax collector in November 2016. —Martin E. Comas, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2023

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