1520s, "slow," from Old French tardif "slow, late" (12c.), also the name of the snail character in the Roman de Renart, from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus "slow, sluggish; late; dull, stupid," of unknown origin. Meaning "late" in English is from 1660s.

This word, not much used in English prose, is constantly employed in the U.S. and in Canada with reference to lateness in school-attendance. [Thornton, "American Glossary," 1912]

Related: Tardily; tardiness. Earlier form of the word in English was tardif, tardyve (late 15c.). Tardity "slowness of movement or action" is recorded in English from early 15c., from Old French tardete, from Latin tarditas.

1630s, "owned through acquisition" (now obsolete, this sense going with acquired), from Latin acquisit-, past participle stem of acquirere "accumulate, gain" (see acquire) + -ive. Meaning "given to acquisition, avaricious" is by 1824. Related: Acquisitively (1590s); acquisitiveness.

1791, "characterized by aggression, tending to make the first attack," with -ive + Latin aggress-, past participle stem of aggredi "to approach; to attempt; to attack," from ad "to" (see ad-) + gradi (past participle gressus) "to step," from gradus "a step," figuratively "a step toward something, an approach" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). In psychological use from 1913, first in translations of Freud. Colloquial meaning "self-assertive, pushy" is from 1931. Related: Aggressively; aggressiveness.