Johnny-come-lately

noun

John·​ny-come-late·​ly ˈjä-nē-(ˌ)kəm-ˈlāt-lē How to pronounce Johnny-come-lately (audio)
plural Johnny-come-latelies or Johnnies-come-lately
Synonyms of Johnny-come-latelynext
1
: a late or recent arrival : newcomer
2
: upstart
established families tend to hold themselves above the Johnny-come-latelies—William Zeckendorf †1976

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Johnny-come-lately was in 1839

Dictionary Entries Near Johnny-come-lately

johnny collar

Johnny-come-lately

Johnny Crapaud

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Johnny-come-lately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Johnny-come-lately. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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