late-winter

The compound 'late-winter' is a transparent English formation built from two native Germanic elements. 'Late' originates from the Old English læt, meaning "slow" or "occurring after the expected time," a concept that evolved to denote the latter part of a period. 'Winter' comes from the common Germanic wintruz, referring to the coldest season. The logic of the compound is directly spatial-temporal: 'late' specifies the concluding segment within the timeframe denoted by 'winter.' This pattern is highly productive in English, creating precise terms like 'late-afternoon' or 'late-summer' to pinpoint a specific phase within a broader period.

Structure: late (tardy) + winter (cold season) - late: From Old English læt (slow, tardy), of Germanic origin. Functions as an adjective modifying the following noun. - winter: From Old English winter, of Germanic origin. Functions as the head noun in this compound adjective.