Johnny-come-lately

or John·nie-come-late·ly

[ jon-ee-kuhm-leyt-lee ]

noun

, plural John·ny-come-late·lies, John·nies-come-late·ly.

1. a late arrival or participant; newcomer:

   the Johnny-come-latelies producing space-war films after the trend had ended.

Johnny-come-lately

noun

1. a brash newcomer, novice, or recruit

Word History and Origins

Origin of Johnny-come-lately¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from the proper name Johnny

Idioms and Phrases

A newcomer, as in She may be a Johnny-come-lately on the board, but she's doing a fine job with publicity . [1830s]

Example Sentences

A bunch of Johnny-come-lately types.

From Seattle Times

Never mind that, as Texas Monthly reported, the spiders are thought to have occupied their habitat since “before the last ice age,” which one might think had given them superior rights to the property than those johnny-come-lately Yearwoods.

From Los Angeles Times

He views Palin as a “Johnny-come-lately,” he said, someone who abandoned Alaska politics for the better part of a decade, only to make an opportunistic return when Young’s death left the congressional seat open.

From Slate

“King salmon is a Johnny-come-lately that came into this race only after king crab left—died.”

From Slate

So too, in their own way, may his Republican primary rivals in Ohio, who have been professing their fidelity to Trumpism, only to see their leader confer his blessing on a Johnny-come-lately.

From New York Times

Related Words

• beginner
• immigrant
• neophyte
• novice
• rookie