[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/retard.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / retard

[← R](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/R/)

# retard

«retard» in Mova's school dictionary: **To slow down or delay something: to retard growth…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (retard, retards, retarded, retarding — said ri-TARD, formal); noun (a retard — said REE-tard, offensive slur)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (formal, science) To slow down or delay something: to retard growth, fire-retardant material. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#m1)

2) (rude, offensive) A very hurtful insult for a person with a learning disability or for someone thought stupid — never use it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In science and safety «retard» means slow down; «fire retardant» fabric slows burning, which keeps people safe. The insult sense is hate speech: in stories it shows a bully being cruel; in real life using it hurts people with disabilities. Old medical words like «mentally retarded» are now replaced by «learning disability» or «intellectual disability».

### examples

- Cold weather retards the growth of plants. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#x1)
- The curtains are treated to retard fire. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#x2)
- Fire-retardant pyjamas are safer for children. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#x3)
- Salt can retard the rotting of meat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#x4)
- (rude, a bully in a story) «Don't call him that word — it's cruel,» said the teacher. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/#x5)

### note

The slur is one of the most hurtful words in English; do not use it, even as a joke. Safe words: slow, delay; «retardant» (a substance that slows burning). In music, «ritardando» means getting slower.

### In the corpora

- [Picture running for the school bus with a French friend who shouts "On est en retard !" - we're late!](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/french/28-etre-to-be/3/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «retard» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/retard/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.