ritardo

Ritardo is an Italian noun meaning delay or lateness. It can refer to a postponement of an event, a late arrival, or a lag in action, performance, or response. The plural form is ritardi. The related verb ritardare means to delay or postpone, while the adjective ritardato exists but in reference to people it is often considered offensive and should be used with caution; in technical contexts it can simply mean delayed.

Common expressions include essere in ritardo (to be late), avere un ritardo di X minuti (to have a delay of X minutes), and ritardo nelle consegne (delivery delay). The term is widely used in everyday language as well as in specific sectors such as transportation and communications.

In transportation and logistics, ritardo describes delays in trains, flights, or shipments. In telecommunications and computing, it can denote latency or signal delay, for example ritardo di rete or ritardo di segnale, referring to the time taken for a signal to propagate or a response to occur.

In music, the related term ritardando (often abbreviated ritard.) indicates a gradual slowing of the tempo. While ritardo as a standalone term is not a standard musical instruction, the root is linked to the broader concept of delaying or slowing.

Etymology traces ritardo to ritardare, from Latin retardare, with related forms in Romance languages; English retarde shares the same origin. See also latenza (latency) and ritardo tecnico (technical delay).