# tardy

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈtɑːdi/ · frequency rank #42,446

## Definitions
1. Late; overdue or delayed.
2. Moving with a slow pace or motion; not swift.
3. Ineffectual; slow-witted, slow to act, or dull.
4. Unwary; unready (especially in the phrase take (someone) tardy).
5. Criminal; guilty.

## Etymology
From an earlier tardive, from French tardif, from Late Latin tardīvus, from Latin tardus (“slow”, “sluggish”), of obscure origin.

## Easily confused with
- **try** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-try)
- **tay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tay)
- **Troy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-troy)
- **Tory** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tory)
- **tray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tray)
- **tidy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tidy)
- **Trey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-trey)
- **tart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tart)
- **turd** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-turd)
- **tarp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tarp)
- **taro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-taro)
- **tarn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tarn)
- **terry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-terry)
- **teddy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-teddy)
- **tasty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tasty)
- **tarot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tarot)
- **Tariq** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tariq)
- **tarts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-tarts)
- **teary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-teary)
- **Trudy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tardy-vs-trudy)

## Common misspellings (8)
`atrdy`, `tadry`, `tarddy`, `tardyy`, `tarrdy`, `taryd`, `trady`, `ttardy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tardy