Tardiness

/ˈtɑːrdɪnəs/ noun

Definition

The quality or habit of arriving late or doing things slower than expected; being behind schedule.

Etymology

From 'tardy,' which comes from French 'tardif' and Latin 'tardus' meaning 'slow.' The suffix '-ness' converts the adjective into a noun representing the state or quality of being tardy.

Kelly Says

In Japan, trains are famously 30 seconds early on average, but in many other cultures tardiness is so normalized that showing up 15 minutes late is barely considered late—this reveals how cultures have wildly different attitudes toward time itself.

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