按照词性来分析比较恰当：
1. adj. 迟到的，晚的；最新的，最近的
adv. 晚，迟；后期地；晚年地
它指的是事情的发生或完成在预期、安排或通常的时间之后；或表示时间接近末期、在某人的晚年。
The latest model has over 100 new features.
最新的款式有100多种新特色。
Do you think these latest changes will do any good?
你认为最近这些变化有什么作用吗？
You have come too late.你来得太迟了。
I am so sorry that I was late this time.
非常抱歉，我这次迟到了。
The train was an hour late.
火车晚点了一小时。
It's too late to save her now.
现在来拯救她的生命已为时太晚。
She got up late this morning.
她今天早上起晚了。
She has to work late tomorrow.
她明天得熬夜工作。
The school was built in the late 1970s.
这所学校建于20世纪70年代末。
Tom became a famous artist late in life.
Tom在晚年时成为了著名的艺术家。
We arrived two hours late.
我们迟到了两小时。
Steve arrived late.
史蒂夫迟到了。
We went to bed very late.
我们很晚才睡。
2.lately
adv. 最近，近来，最近；不久以前
一般用于疑问句和否定句，常与现在完成时连用；有时也可与一般现在时连用，指现在的习惯。
I haven’t heard from him lately.
我最近没接到他的来信。
Have you seen her lately?
你最近见过她吗？
It's only lately that she's been well enough to go out.
她只是最近才康复，可出去走一走了。
Dad's health hasn't been too good lately.
爸爸的健康状况近来不太好。
She's been having a tough time of it lately.
她最近的日子一直很难熬。
Have you seen Steven lately?
你最近见过Steven吗？
He looks so tired because he hasn’t been sleeping well lately.
他看起来挺累的，因为最近一直没睡好。
What have you been doing lately?
你最近做了什么事？
She had lately returned from India.
不久前她从印度回来了。
I've been feeling under stress lately.
我最近感到压力很大。
Things have been getting on top of me lately.
最近事情太多，压得我透不过气来。
'Have you talked to her lately?'
“你最近有没有跟她谈过？”
He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship
最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。
Lately, the president has been sacking and picking new ministers at whim.
最近，总统一时兴起频频解雇旧部长，选任新部长。
Have you observed any changes lately?
最近你注意到什么变化没有？
John's been acting very strangely lately.
近来约翰的行为怪得很。
She's been acting very strangely lately.
近来她举止十分反常。
I know he's had a hard time lately, but he's certainly milking it for all it's worth.
我知道他最近的日子不好过，但他却以此为借口为所欲为。
Dad's health hasn't been too good lately
爸爸的健康状况近来不太好。
Optimism about the US economy has been a rare commodity lately.
近来很少有人对美国经济持乐观态度。
We used to visit London once a week, but lately we go there twice a week.
我们过去总是每周去一次伦敦，但最近我们每周去两次。