This is the 12284th most frequent Spanish word.
late
"Late" in Spanish means "it beats" (referring to the beating of a heart).
In this sentence, 'tarde' means 'late,' referring to a point in time beyond the due time of an event, specifically the meeting.
¿Por qué llegaste tan tarde a la reunión?
Why did you arrive so late to the meeting?
Here, 'tarde' is used to mean 'afternoon,' which is a common time marker in Spanish to indicate parts of the day.
Prefiero tomar mi té a media tarde.
I prefer to have my tea in the mid-afternoon.
In this example, 'tarde' signifies being beyond the appropriate or feasible time frame for taking an action, implying a finality.