Retarded
/rɪˈtɑːrdɪd/noun
Slowed down or delayed in development.
Did you know?The term 'retard' comes from the Latin 'retardare', meaning to delay or hold back, revealing how language can morph into stigma over time.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
retardare
“To hold back or delay.”
Old French
Old French
retarder
“To delay or hinder.”
16th Century
English
retarded
“Delayed or hindered in progress.”
19th Century
English
retarded
“Used in a medical context to describe intellectual disabilities.”
20th Century
English
retarded
“Became a derogatory term as societal views on disability shifted.”