'Retardation' definitions:

Definition of 'retardation'

From: WordNet
noun
A decrease in rate of change; "the deceleration of the arms race" [syn: deceleration, slowing, retardation] [ant: acceleration]
noun
The extent to which something is delayed or held back
noun
Any agent that retards or delays or hinders; "flame- retardant" [syn: retardant, retardent, retardation]
noun
Lack of normal development of intellectual capacities [syn: retardation, mental retardation, backwardness, slowness, subnormality]
noun
The act of slowing down or falling behind [syn: slowdown, lag, retardation]

Definition of 'Retardation'

From: GCIDE
  • Retardation \Re`tar*da"tion\, n. [L. retardatio: cf. F. retardation.]
  • 1. The act of retarding; hindrance; the act of delaying; as, the retardation of the motion of a ship; -- opposed to acceleration. [1913 Webster]
  • The retardations of our fluent motion. --De Quinsey. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. That which retards; an obstacle; an obstruction. [1913 Webster]
  • Hills, sloughs, and other terrestrial retardations. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Mus.) The keeping back of an approaching consonant chord by prolonging one or more tones of a previous chord into the intermediate chord which follows; -- differing from suspension by resolving upwards instead of downwards. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. The extent to which anything is retarded; the amount of retarding or delay. [1913 Webster]
  • Retardation of the tide. (a) The lunitidal interval, or the hour angle of the moon at the time of high tide any port; the interval between the transit of the moon and the time of high tide next following. (b) The age of the tide; the retard of the tide. See under Retard, n. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'retardation'

From: Moby Thesaurus