cunctation

C2+ Topic:Time
US /kʌŋkˈteɪʃən/ UK /kʌŋkˈteɪʃən/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    delay or tardiness in acting; procrastination

    His habitual cunctation cost the company its early advantage.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · delay or tardiness in... delayprocrastinationtardinessdawdlingdilatoriness
Opposites
Word family
Derived forms cunctatorcunctatory

Etymology

From Latin cunctatio ('a delaying, hesitation'), from cunctari ('to delay, hesitate'), ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to hang'.

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