# retard

Pronunciation: US say "ri-TAHRD" /ɹɪˈtɑː(ɹ)d/; UK say "ri-TAHD" /ɹɪˈtɑː(ɹ)d/

## Noun

1. An offensive word for a person, or even an animal, regarded as extremely stupid or slow to learn. *(colloquial)* (pronounced: US say "REE-tahrd" /ˈɹiˌtɑɹd/; UK say "REE-tahd" /ˈɹiːtɑːd/)
   - Simple: A rude, hurtful word for someone thought to be very stupid or slow to learn.
4. A delay or holding back, now used mainly of engines, where the spark is set to fire later than standard.
   - Simple: A delay or holding back, now used mostly about engines, when the spark is set to fire later.
   - _The tuner dialed in two degrees of retard to stop the engine from knocking._
   - _The new software adds ignition retard whenever the engine is cold._

## Verb

2. To slow down or hold back the progress, development, or movement of something.
   - Simple: To make something go slower or happen later than it would, or stop it from moving forward.
   - _Cold weather can retard the growth of young plants for weeks._
   - _Years of civil war retarded the country's economic development._

## Noun

3. A dated, offensive word for a person with an intellectual disability, what was once called mental retardation. *(dated)* (pronounced: US say "REE-tahrd" /ˈɹiˌtɑɹd/; UK say "REE-tahd" /ˈɹiːtɑːd/)
   - Simple: An old, hurtful word for a person with a disability that affects learning and thinking.

## Verb

5. To be slow or late; to stay back instead of moving on or arriving when expected. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To be slow or late, or to stay behind instead of going on.

## Other meanings

- (noun) In music, a slowing down of the tempo, also called a ritardando.

## Origin

Latin retardāre ("to retard"), made from re- and tardus ("slow"), reached Middle English as retarden, either through Anglo-Norman retarder or straight from the Latin.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/retard (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).