What is the Latin word for slow?

The usual Latin words for “slow” are tardus, lentus, sēgnis; also vēlōx, piger, hebes. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“slow” in Latin

tardusslow, sluggish; tardy; late, lingering lentussticky, tenacious; slow, sluggish; flexible, pliant sēgnisslow, tardy, torpid, inactive, unenergetic, lazy vēlōxswift, quick, fleet, rapid, speedy pigerbackward, slow, dull, lazy, indolent, sluggish, unwilling, motionless, inactive, inert; unwilling, reluctant, averse hebesblunt, dull, not sharp or pointed; dim, faint, dull; tasteless, without smell, without sensation; dull, obtuse, sluggish

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

slow

tardus (opposed to celer, velox; also of the mind): lentus (opposed to citus; and of the mind, opposed to acer): segnis (opposed to promptus). According to Döderlein, tardus denotes slowness with reference to the great length of time spent; whereas lentus with reference to quietness of motion (Handbuch, p. 209): Slow in transacting business, tardus in rebus gerendis: to be slow in writing, cessatorem esse in litteris: slow in learning, tardus ad discendum or in discendo; lentus in discendo; ingenio tardo; piger (slothful): slow of apprehension, hebes, hebes ad intelligendum, tardus (stupid); stupidus (dull, stupid). (The words are found in this connection and order.) stupidus et tardus: mente captus (without understanding): slow poison, venenum lentum.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for slow?: The usual Latin words for “slow” are tardus, lentus, sēgnis; also vēlōx, piger, hebes. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.