retardant
|re-tard-ant|
🇺🇸
/rɪˈtɑrdənt/
🇬🇧
/rɪˈtɑːdənt/
cause to slow / delay
Etymology
'retardant' originates from French, specifically the word 'retardant', the present participle of 'retarder', where 're-' meant 'back' and 'tarder' (from Latin 'tardus') meant 'slow'.
'retardant' developed from Latin 'retardare' ('re-' + 'tardare' from 'tardus' meaning 'slow') into Old/Modern French 'retarder' (present participle 'retardant') and was adopted into English as a technical formation referring to agents that delay processes.
Initially it meant 'causing delay or hindrance,' and over time it evolved into the modern technical sense 'a substance or agent that slows or inhibits a process (especially combustion)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance or agent that slows or delays a process (commonly used for materials that slow the spread of fire: flame retardant).
Firefighters applied a retardant to slow the spread of the wildfire.
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Adjective 1
causing delay or slowing a process; having the property of slowing down (e.g., a retardant coating).
They applied a retardant coating to the wood to reduce flammability.
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Last updated: 2025/10/29 01:15