Retardation
/ˌriː.tɑːrˈdeɪ.ʃən/noun
The act or process of slowing down, delaying, or reducing speed or progress.
Did you know?It comes from Latin retārdāre, built from re- (“back”) + tardus (“slow”), so the word’s oldest power is not insult but the mechanics of delay itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ters-
“to dry up; be slow, stale”
Latin
Latin
tardus
“slow, sluggish, late”
Latin
Latin
retardāre
“to slow down, delay, hinder”
Late Latin
Latin
retardātiō
“a delaying, slowing down”
Middle English
English
retardacioun
“delay, hindrance”
Modern English
English
retardation
“the act or process of slowing down or delaying”