This is the 2827th most frequent German word.
späten
"Späten" is the inflected form of "spät," meaning "late" in English.
The word 'späten' is used as an adjective implying the timing relative to afternoon.
Wir treffen uns am späten Nachmittag.
We meet in the late afternoon.
'Späten' here describes the hours as late during the nighttime.
Das Konzert endete in den späten Stunden der Nacht.
The concert ended in the late hours of the night.
Here, 'späten' is used as an adjective modifying 'Herbst' to indicate the later period of the season.