ponderous
UK: ˈpɒn.dər.əs | US: ˈpɑːn.dɚ.əs
adj. 1. slow and clumsy due to great weight or size
adj. 2. (of speech or writing) dull or laboriously lengthy
ponderous = ponder<weigh> + ous<adjective suffix>
- ponder (from Latin pondus "weight") → retains the core meaning of "heaviness" or "weighing."
- ous (adjective-forming suffix, from Latin -osus) → indicates "full of" or "having the quality of."
Etymology Origin:
The word ponderous traces back to Latin pondus (weight), evolving through Old French ponderous before entering Middle English. The root ponder reflects the literal sense of physical weight, later extending metaphorically to describe anything laborious or slow-moving. The suffix -ous systematically converts nouns into adjectives, emphasizing the inherent quality (here, "weightiness"). This duality—physical and figurative—makes ponderous a vivid descriptor for both objects and abstract concepts like speech.
The elephant moved with a ponderous gait, each step shaking the ground.
His ponderous lecture left the audience struggling to stay awake.
The machinery was too ponderous to transport without specialized equipment.
She avoided ponderous academic texts, preferring concise writing.
The turtle’s ponderous progress across the beach fascinated the children.