Standard Lemma guide

tardy

adj · name · noun · verb · 11 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: /ˈtɑːdi/
  • General-American: /ˈtɑɹdi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)di
  • CMU ARPABET: T AA1 R D IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Late; overdue or delayed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He yawned, then raised a tardy hand over his mouth.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Ineffectual; slow-witted, slow to act, or dull.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His tardy performance bordered on incompetence.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Unwary; unready (especially in the phrase take (someone) tardy).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Criminal; guilty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

name

Meaning 6

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A piece of paper given to students who are late to class.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Examples

  • The teacher gave her a tardy because she did not come into the classroom until after the bell.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

An instance of a student's being marked as tardy by a teacher on the teacher's attendance sheet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To make tardy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To dawdle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

after the expected or usual time; delayed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a belated birthday card
  • I'm late for the plane
  • the train is late
  • tardy children are sent to the principal
  • always tardy in making dental appointments

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: belated, late

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From an earlier tardive, from French tardif, from Late Latin tardīvus, from Latin tardus (“slow”, “sluggish”), of obscure origin.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: закъснял (zakǎsnjal) — later in relation to the proper time
  • Czech: opožděný — later in relation to the proper time
  • Czech: pozdní — later in relation to the proper time
  • Dutch: te laat — later in relation to the proper time
  • Estonian: viivitunud — later in relation to the proper time
  • French: tardif — later in relation to the proper time
  • French: en retard — later in relation to the proper time
  • Galician: serodio — later in relation to the proper time
  • German: verspätet — later in relation to the proper time
  • Hungarian: megkésett — later in relation to the proper time
  • Italian: tardivo — later in relation to the proper time
  • Japanese: 遅刻 (chikoku) — later in relation to the proper time
  • Northern Mansi: юв-хультум (ûv-hulʹtum) — later in relation to the proper time
  • Portuguese: tardio — later in relation to the proper time
  • Romanian: tardiv — later in relation to the proper time
  • Romanian: întârziat — later in relation to the proper time
  • Russian: запозда́лый (zapozdályj) — later in relation to the proper time
  • Scottish Gaelic: deireannach — later in relation to the proper time
  • Spanish: tardo — later in relation to the proper time
  • Spanish: tardío — later in relation to the proper time
  • Spanish: moroso — later in relation to the proper time
  • Spanish: tardón — later in relation to the proper time
  • Spanish: pigre — later in relation to the proper time
  • Swedish: försenad — later in relation to the proper time
  • Swedish: sen — later in relation to the proper time
  • Tagalog: gutoy — later in relation to the proper time
  • Turkish: gecikmiş — later in relation to the proper time
  • Turkish: geç — later in relation to the proper time
  • Bulgarian: изоставащ (izostavašt) — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Czech: pomalý — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Czech: liknavý — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Czech: zpomalený — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Dutch: dom, lanzaam reagerend — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • French: lent — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • French: long à la détente — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • German: langsam — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • German: säumig — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Japanese: 遅い (osoi) — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Japanese: 鈍い (nibui) — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Russian: медли́тельный (medlítelʹnyj) — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Sanskrit: मन्दर (mandara) — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Spanish: tardo — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Spanish: tardinero — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Spanish: flemático — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Spanish: parsimonioso — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Spanish: tardón — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Turkish: ağırdan alan — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull
  • Turkish: yavaş — ineffectual; slow witted, slow to act, or dull