tardus

Tardus is a Latin adjective meaning slow or late. Derived from the root tard- with the standard Latin suffix -us, tardus agrees in gender, number, and case in Latin texts. In classical Latin, tardus describes speed, tempo, or timing and occurs in various literary and rhetorical contexts. The noun form tardum or tardus is rarely used in ordinary Latin, and the term survives today mainly as a root in scientific and medical Latin.

In modern scientific nomenclature, tardus functions as a descriptive epithet in taxonomy. It appears in binomial names where the author intends to convey that the organism is slow-moving, late-discovered, or otherwise characterized by slowness. The exact meaning is inferred from the accompanying genus and the original description, and, as with many Latin adjectives, the epithet is inflected to agree with the genus.

In clinical medicine, tardus appears in Latin phrases describing the dynamics of pulses and vessels. The phrase tardus et parvus is used to describe a pulse that is delayed in onset and reduced in volume, a finding associated with conditions such as aortic stenosis. The usage is historical and remains part of traditional exam vocabulary in some regions.

Beyond biology and medicine, tardus occurs in Latin-based academic phrases indicating lateness or delay in processes or timing. It also appears in classical Latin literature as an ordinary adjective describing events, tempos, or actions. The word is closely related to tardus in English tardy, sharing a common Indo-European root.