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]

Related Words

• beginner
• immigrant
• neophyte
• novice
• rookie