Standard Lemma guide

laggard

adj · noun · 5 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.

  • UK: /ˈlæɡəd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈlæɡɚd/
  • rhymes with -æɡə(ɹ)d
  • CMU ARPABET: L AE1 G ER0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Lagging behind; taking more time than the others in a group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Not growing as quickly as the rest of the flock or herd.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: animal husbandry

Examples

  • The laggard broilers are euthanized and incinerated.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

One who lags behind; one who takes more time than is necessary or more than the others in a group.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1733, William Havard, Scanderbeg: A Tragedy, London: J. Watts, Act II, Scene 4, p. 17, Blushing I look upon my poor Resolves, A Laggard in the Race, and faintly striving To follow Excellence that soars so high.
  • 1891, Rudyard Kipling, Letters of Marque, New York & Boston: H.M. Caldwell, 1899, Chapter 12, p. 141, The State line, with the comparatively new branch to the Pachbadra salt-pits, pays handsomely, and is exactly suited to the needs of its users. True, there is a certain haziness as to the hour of starting, but this allows laggards more time, and fills the packed carriages to overflowing.

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: dilatory, poky, pokey

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dawdler, drone, lagger, trailer, poke

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: idler, loafer, do-nothing, layabout, bum

Narrower terms: loiterer, lingerer, plodder, slowpoke, stick-in-the-mud, slowcoach, putterer, potterer, straggler, strayer

History

Etymology

From lag + -ard.

Across languages

Translations

30 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 遲緩嘅 /迟缓嘅 (ci4 wun4 ge3) — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Chinese Cantonese: 落後嘅 /落后嘅 (lok6 hau6 ge3) — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • French: retardataire — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Serbo-Croatian: kržljavac — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Serbo-Croatian: kržljavica — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Walloon: racoulot — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Walloon: måcrexhant — animal not growing as fast as flockmates
  • Chinese Mandarin: 落後者 /落后者 (luòhòuzhě) — one who lags behind
  • Dutch: achterblijver — one who lags behind
  • Dutch: slome duikelaar — one who lags behind
  • Finnish: kuhnuri — one who lags behind
  • Finnish: hituri — one who lags behind
  • Finnish: hidastelija — one who lags behind
  • Finnish: kuhnailija — one who lags behind
  • French: traînard — one who lags behind
  • German: Nachzügler — one who lags behind
  • German: Bummler — one who lags behind
  • Hungarian: maradi — one who lags behind
  • Italian: ritardatario — one who lags behind
  • Māori: pirorehe — one who lags behind
  • Māori: takurutu — one who lags behind
  • Romanian: mocăit — one who lags behind
  • Russian: неповоро́тливый/медли́тельный челове́к (nepovorótlivyj/medlítelʹnyj čelovék) — one who lags behind
  • Russian: копу́ша (kopúša) — one who lags behind
  • Russian: у́валень (úvalenʹ) — one who lags behind
  • Serbo-Croatian: kasnilac — one who lags behind
  • Spanish: rezagado — one who lags behind
  • Spanish: rezagada — one who lags behind
  • Walloon: trinneu — one who lags behind
  • Walloon: trinnåd — one who lags behind