dilatory

[dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

adjective

1. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.

2. intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision.

   a dilatory strategy.

dilatory

/ -trɪ, ˈdɪlətərɪ /

adjective

1. tending or inclined to delay or waste time

2. intended or designed to waste time or defer action

Other Word Forms

• dilatorily adverb
• dilatoriness noun
• undilatorily adverb
• undilatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dilatory¹

1250–1300; Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dīlātōrius, equivalent to dīlā-, suppletive stem of differre to postpone ( differ ) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of dilatory¹

C15: from Late Latin dīlātōrius inclined to delay, from differre to postpone; see _differ

Example Sentences

There have always been those who found the place, with its pretentious airs, dilatory pacing and stultifying rules of order, a frustrating environment to work in, much less thrive.

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"Mr Trump's current situation is a result of his own dilatory actions," he wrote.

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In early February, after Harvard’s first round of submissions, Representative Foxx accused it of a “limited and dilatory” response.

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When there is a claim, however frivolous and intentionally dilatory, it must receive the same slow service as every other claim at the courthouse window.

Read more on Salon

Representative Virginia Foxx, a Republican of North Carolina, said Harvard was providing a “limited and dilatory” response to her investigation of the school’s handling of alleged campus antisemitism.

Read more on New York Times