Laggard
/ˈlæɡ.əd/noun
A person who moves or acts slowly; a slowpoke.
Did you know?Laggard is tied to the old verb lag, likely from Scandinavian roots meaning to move slowly or hang back, and it became a perfect insult for anyone spiritually or physically “behind.”
Etymological Timeline
Late 16th Century
English
laggard
“A person who lags behind; a slow or sluggish fellow.”
Middle English
English
laggen
“To lag, loiter, or move slowly.”
Old Norse
ON
lagga
“To linger, delay, or trail behind.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*lagjaną
“To lay down, place; possibly connected with the sense of settling or falling behind.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leǵ-
“To collect, gather, or place.”