[tar.dy] adj tar.di.er ; -est [alter. of earlier tardif, fr. MF, fr. (assumed) VL tardivus, fr. L tardus] (15c) 1: moving slowly: sluggish
2: delayed beyond the expected or proper time: late -- tar.di.ness n
[2]tardy n, pl tardies (1960): an instance of being tardy (as to a class)