dilatory
/ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/
"dilatory" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“dilatory” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Intentionally delaying (someone or something), intended to cause delay, gain time, or adjourn decision.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | dilatory |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “dilatory” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for dilatory is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
No generated misspelling entries exist for dilatory in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English dilatorie, from Old French dilatoire, from Latin dīlātōrius (“extending or putting off (time)”), from dīlātor, from differō. Not etymologically related to delay. The correct English form is dilatory, spelled D-I-L-A-T-O-R-Y.
Definition
- 1Intentionally delaying (someone or something), intended to cause delay, gain time, or adjourn decision.
- 2Slow or tardy.
Etymology
From Middle English dilatorie, from Old French dilatoire, from Latin dīlātōrius (“extending or putting off (time)”), from dīlātor, from differō. Not etymologically related to delay.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “dilatory”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is D-I-L-A-T-O-R-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈdɪlət(ə)ɹi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.