Etymologically
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retard

Etymology and origin of the French word retard

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Back-formation
First attested
1629, Journal de Clément Macheret
Ultimate origin
Latin (retardō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.taʁ/[1]
  • IPA: /ʁə.tɑʁ/[1]

Forms

retard m (plural retards)[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French retarder, and replaced retardement.[2][3][4][5][1] “Retarder” is from Latin retardō (“to delay”), Old French also had “retargier” until the 16th century (see tarder).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi finds it in 1629, in the journal of Clément Macheret, meaning doing something after the normal time, Bloch and Wartburg, the Grand Robert and the GLLF date it to 1677 (Duillier).[2][5][3][4]

Semantic evolution

Être en retard is in the Trévoux dictionary (1704), and sans retard in Florian (1792); the Académie has had the word since 1762.[2] In watchmaking it is the regulator that slows a watch (1765).[2][4] From 1808 (Cabanis, on late puberty) it meant being less advanced than one should be, le retard des marées is in Littré (1870), and pyrotechnics uses it for a delay (1875).[2]

Timeline

  • 1629 – First recorded.[2]
  • 1677 – Duillier.[4]
  • 1704 – Être en retard.[2]
  • 1762 – In the Académie.[2]
  • 1765 – In watchmaking.[2]
  • 1792 – Sans retard, Florian.[2]
  • 1808 – Backwardness, Cabanis.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Lateness, delay: être en retard, le train a du retard, avoir dix minutes de retard.[3][4]
  2. Sans retard: without delay.[2][4]
  3. Backwardness, being behind: en retard sur son temps, l'esprit a toujours du retard sur le monde.[2][4]
  4. (watchmaking) The regulator that slows a watch.[2][4]
  • retarder
  • retardement
  • retardataire
  • tard

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
Cite this entry

“Retard.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/retard. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·