Definition of "retardation" []

• The act or process of retarding. (noun)
• The condition of being retarded. (noun)
• The extent to which something is held back or delayed. (noun)
• Something that retards; a delay or hindrance. (noun)
• Mental retardation. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "We must not be misled by the term retardation to suppose it means behind time, for a retarded body is before time."
• "Whereas mental retardation is sometimes genetic in nature, this form of behavior is environmental usually resulting in too much right-wing “news”, daytime television, and other environmental factors."
• "I suggest CNN next run a segment entitled: “Mental retardation, is it necessary to host a cable television ‘news’ program?”"