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definitions

tardy

[tahr-dee]
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adjective, tar·di·er, tar·di·est.
  1. late; behind time; not on time: How tardy were you today?
  2. moving or acting slowly; slow; sluggish.
  3. delaying through reluctance.

Origin of tardy

1475–85; earlier tardive, tardif < Old French < Vulgar Latin *tardīvus, equivalent to Latin tard(us) slow + -īvus -ive
Related formstar·di·ly, adverbtar·di·ness, noun

Synonyms for tardy

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1. slack. 3. dilatory.

Antonyms for tardy

1. prompt.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for tardy

overdue, sluggish, delayed, belated, delinquent, backward, dilatory, jammed, laggard, retarded, slack, slow, behindhand, dawdling, loitering, procrastinating, unpunctual

Examples from the Web for tardy

Historical Examples of tardy

  • "Tardy obedience is of the house of mutiny," I said sternly.

    To Have and To Hold

    Mary Johnston

  • Tardy recollection that she was altogether too heavy for comfort brought her to her feet.

  • Tardy is applied to that which is behind the proper or desired time, especially in doing a work or arriving at a place.

    English Synonyms and Antonyms

    James Champlin Fernald

  • Tardy restitution given to a long-suffering people; late righting of an ancient wrong!

    Vacation days in Greece

    Rufus B. Richardson

  • Tardy employees approached their work joyously, not stealthily, as is the normal custom of such miscreants.

British Dictionary definitions for tardy

tardy

adjective -dier or -diest
  1. occurring later than expectedtardy retribution
  2. slow in progress, growth, etca tardy reader
Derived Formstardily, adverbtardiness, noun

Word Origin for tardy

C15: from Old French tardif, from Latin tardus slow
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for tardy
adj.

late 14c. (implied in tardity), from Old French tardif (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus "slow, sluggish, dull, stupid," of unknown origin. Related: Tardily; tardiness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper