latter

The word 'latter' originates from the Old English adjective 'lætra', which is the comparative form of 'læt', meaning 'slow' or 'late'. This Old English term evolved from the Proto-Germanic 'lataz', carrying a sense of slowness or tardiness. Over time, the comparative form 'latter' underwent a semantic shift from a temporal meaning ('later in time') to a more specific, positional one, used to distinguish the second of two mentioned items, especially in formal or written English. This evolution illustrates a common linguistic pattern where a comparative of time is metaphorically extended to indicate sequence or order in a pair.

The word 'latter' is a simplex form derived from Old English 'lætra', the comparative form of 'læt' (meaning 'late'). Its functional role is as a comparative adjective.