Standard Lemma guide

dilatory

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/
  • rare: /daɪˈleɪt(ə)ɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈdɪləˌtɔɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH1 L AH0 T AO2 R IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Intentionally delaying (someone or something), intended to cause delay, gain time, or adjourn decision.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • a dilatory strategy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Slow or tardy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Relating to dilation; dilative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

wasting time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: laggard, poky, pokey

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English dilatorie, from Old French dilatoire, from Latin dīlātōrius (“extending or putting off (time)”), from dīlātor, from differō. Not etymologically related to delay.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: отлагащ (otlagašt) — intentionally delaying
  • French: dilatoire — intentionally delaying
  • German: aufschiebend — intentionally delaying
  • German: dilatorisch — intentionally delaying
  • German: verspätet — intentionally delaying
  • Irish: leadránach — intentionally delaying
  • Russian: откладывающий (otkladyvajuščij) — intentionally delaying
  • Russian: оттягивающий (ottjagivajuščij) — intentionally delaying
  • Russian: выжидательный (vyžidatelʹnyj) — intentionally delaying
  • Swedish: förhalande — intentionally delaying
  • Telugu: దీర్ఘసూత్రత (dīrghasūtrata) — intentionally delaying
  • Turkish: erteleyici — intentionally delaying
  • Turkish: geciktirici — intentionally delaying
  • Turkish: oyalayıcı — intentionally delaying
  • Bulgarian: бавен (baven) — slow or tardy
  • Bulgarian: муден (muden) — slow or tardy
  • German: langsam — slow or tardy
  • German: zögernd — slow or tardy
  • Māori: autō — slow or tardy
  • Māori: tume — slow or tardy
  • Māori: hāmure — slow or tardy
  • Māori: māngaingai — slow or tardy
  • Russian: медлительный (medlitelʹnyj) — slow or tardy
  • Russian: нерасторопный (nerastoropnyj) — slow or tardy
  • Scottish Gaelic: deireannach — slow or tardy
  • Swedish: slö — slow or tardy
  • Telugu: జాగుచేసే (jāgucēsē) — slow or tardy
  • Turkish: ağırdan alan — slow or tardy
  • Turkish: üşengeç — slow or tardy
  • Turkish: yavaş — slow or tardy