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tardus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word tardus

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Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
Naevius

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtar.dʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtar.dus][1]

Forms

tardus (feminine tarda, neuter tardum, comparative tardior, superlative tardissimus, adverb tardē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

De Vaan finds no etymology for it.[2] Walde and Hofmann, and the OLD, connect it with Ancient Greek τέρυ (téru, “weak”) and Sanskrit तरुण (táruṇa, “young”) through a form *taru-dos, but de Vaan rejects this on grounds of meaning and form.[2][3] Wiktionary suggests Proto-Indo-European *tr̥h₂-d-o-, from the root *terh₂- “to cross”.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius.[2][4] Plautus compares slow-walking men to cargo ships in a calm sea.[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant slow in movement, then of processes long drawn out, of people slow to act, late or tardy, and slow-witted or dull.[3] Terence calls a man “silly, tasteless and slow”, and Cicero asks who is so tardus as not to see something.[3]

In medieval Latin it was also used of a slow voice and of slow tempo in music.[5] It survives in Italian tardo, French tard (“late”) and Spanish tarde (“late”), and Vulgar Latin *tardīvus gave French tardif and English tardy in the late 15th century.[1][6] Retardāre gave English retard.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus compares slow men to cargo ships.[3][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a dull man.[3][4]
  • late 15th century – English tardy is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Slow (in movement).[3]
  2. Slow, long drawn out.[3]
  3. Slow to act, dilatory.[3]
  4. Late, tardy.[3]
  5. Slow-witted, dull.[3]

Word family

  • tarda
  • tardicors
  • tardigenuclus
  • tardigradus
  • tardilocus
  • tardipēs
  • tarditās
  • tardities
  • tarditūdō
  • tardiusculus
  • tardō
  • tardor
  • English tardy
  • English retard

Usage notes

Döderlein contrasts tardus, slowness measured by the time spent, opposed to citus, with lentus, slowness as calm of motion.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Tardus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/tardus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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