Belated describes something that happens later than it should have, like a belated birthday card. It often carries a mild sense of apology or regret.
“Belated” comes from “be-” plus “late,” literally meaning “made late.” It began as a way to describe people or things that had been delayed.
When you say “Happy belated birthday,” you’re actually saying the birthday was late, not you. Strictly speaking, it should be “belated happy birthday”—but the common “wrong” version has become accepted in everyday speech.
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