You use lately to describe events in the recent past, or situations that started a short time ago. Dad's health hasn't been too good lately Lord Tomas had lately been appointed Chairman of the Centre for Policy Studies `Have you talked to her lately?' = recently
in the recent past; "he was in Paris recently"; "lately the rules have been enforced"; "as late as yesterday she was fine"; "feeling better of late"; "the spelling was first affected, but latterly the meaning also"