retardation

[ ree-tahr-dey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of retarding or state of being retarded.
2. something that retards; hindrance.
3. Usually Offensive. slowness or limitation in intellectual understanding and awareness, emotional development, academic progress, etc. intellectual disability ( def ), mental retardation ( def ).
4. Music. a form of suspension that is resolved upward.

retardation

/ rɪˈtɑːdmənt; ˌriːtɑːˈdeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of retarding or the state of being retarded
2. something that retards; hindrance
3. the rate of deceleration
4. psychiatry the slowing down of mental functioning and bodily movement

Sensitive Note

See retarded.

Derived Forms

• reˈtardative, adjective

Other Words From

• re·tard·a·tive [ri-, tahr, -d, uh, -tiv], re·tard·a·to·ry [ri-, tahr, -d, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
• non·re·tar·da·tion noun
• non·re·tard·a·tive adjective
• non·re·tard·a·to·ry adjective
• non·re·tard·ment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of retardation¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English retardacioun, from Latin retardātiōn- (stem of retardātiō ), equivalent to retardāt(us) ( retard, -ate ¹ ) + -iōn- noun suffix ( -ion )