This adjective describes the late or spring rains crucial for bringing crops to maturity in the Mediterranean agricultural cycle. James uses it in an exhortation to patience, pointing to the farmer who waits for both early and late rains. The term distinguishes the spring rains (March-April) from the autumn rains that initiate growth. These latter rains were essential for ripening grain before harvest; without them, crops would wither. The word carries agricultural urgency: the farmer's livelihood depends on this final blessing.