latecomer

The word 'latecomer' is a transparent compound formed within English from native Germanic elements. The first element, 'late', descends from the Old English adjective læt, which originally meant "slow" or "sluggish", a sense that naturally extends to arriving after a due time. This is combined with the agent noun derived from the verb 'come', itself from Old English cuman, meaning "to move toward, to arrive". The suffix '-er', a prolific agent-forming suffix in English, attaches to verbs to denote a person performing that action. Thus, the literal construction "one who comes late" perfectly captures the modern meaning of someone who arrives after an appointed or expected time, illustrating the logical and compositional nature of much English vocabulary.

Structure: late (after the expected time) + com (to come) + er (person who does) - late: From Old English læt (slow, tardy), of Germanic origin. Functions as an adjective/adverb root meaning "after the expected time". - com: From the verb come, from Old English cuman (to move toward, arrive). Functions as the verbal root. - er: From Old English -ere, an agent noun suffix indicating "a person who does something".