late-binding, Compile time, run-time, polymorphism

 Java uses "late-binding" for calling instance methods.

Late-binding means Java doesn't "bind" (think: choose) a method call to an actual method at compile time. The choice of method happens later... at run-time.

Compile time = early, run-time = late. I get it.

Referring to an object in many different ways (reference type is different from actual object class) is the point of polymorphism, which means "many forms".