tardy

adjective, tar·di·er, tar·di·est.

1. late; behind time; not on time: How tardy were you today?
2. moving or acting slowly; slow; sluggish.
3. delaying through reluctance.

adjective -dier or -diest

1. occurring later than expectedtardy retribution
2. slow in progress, growth, etca tardy reader

adj.late 14c. (implied in tardity), from Old French tardif (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus “slow, sluggish, dull, stupid,” of unknown origin. Related: Tardily; tardiness.