later vs next

later

adv
  • Afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time). 

  • At some unspecified time in the future. 

intj
  • See you later; goodbye. 

adj
  • At some time in the future. 

  • Coming afterward in distance (following an antecedent distance as embedded within an adverbial phrase) 

  • Coming afterward in time (used with than when comparing with another time). 

next

adv
  • So as to follow in time or sequence something previously mentioned. 

  • In a time, place, rank or sequence closest or following. 

  • On the first subsequent occasion. 

det
  • Closest in the future, or closest but one if the closest is very soon; of days, sometimes thought to specifically refer to the instance closest to seven days (one week) in the future. 

  • Denotes the one immediately following the current or most recent one. 

noun
  • The one that follows after this one. 

adj
  • Nearest in order, succession, or rank; immediately following (or sometimes preceding) in order. 

  • Nearest in place or position, having nothing similar intervening; adjoining. 

  • Nearest in relationship. (See also next of kin.) 

How often have the words later and next occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )