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dilatory

 - 3 dictionary results

dil⋅a⋅to⋅ry

  [dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]
Use dilatory in a Sentence
–adjective
1. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.
2. intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision: a dilatory strategy.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME (< AF) < L dīlātōrius, equiv. to dīlā-, suppletive s. of differre to postpone (see differ ) + -tōrius -tory 1

Related forms:
dil⋅a⋅to⋅ri⋅ly, adverb
dil⋅a⋅to⋅ri⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To dilatory
dil·a·to·ry   (dĭl'ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē)   
adj.  

  1. Intended to delay.

  2. Tending to postpone or delay: dilatory in his work habits. See Synonyms at slow.


[Middle English dilatorie, from Latin dīlātōrius, from dīlātor, delayer, from dīlātus, past participle of differre, to delay : dī-, dis-, apart; see dis- + lātus, carried; see telə- in Indo-European roots.]
dil'a·to'ri·ly adv., dil'a·to'ri·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

dilatory 
1535, from L. dilatorius, from dilator "procrastinator," from dilatus, serving as pp. of differe "delay" (see defer).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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