Slows down or delays something; as a noun, the word was formerly used medically for intellectual disabilities but is now considered offensive and outdated.
From Latin 'retardare' (re- back + tardus slow). The medical usage emerged in the early 1900s but has been replaced by more respectful terminology.
This word shows how English self-corrects—a technical medical term became slang used cruelly, so the community moved to 'intellectual disability' and 'developmental delay.' The verb meaning is neutral, but the noun shows how language reflects changing values.
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