Hindi

Noun

देर • ‎(der) f ‎(Urdu spelling دير)

1. a period of time; a while

   कुछ देर के बाद, मैं घर जा गया।‎

   kuch der ke bād, ma͠i ghar jā gayā.

   After a while, I went home.

2. delay, hold-up (also देरी ‎(derī))

   मुझे कार्यालय में थोड़ी सी देर हो गई।‎

   mujhe kāryālay mẽ thoṛī sī der ho gaī.

   I was slightly delayed in the office.

Synonyms

• (delay): विलंब ‎(vilamb)

Adjective

देर • ‎(der) ‎(Urdu spelling دير)

1. long (time)

   मैंने जाने से पहले देर तक सोचा।‎

   mainne jāne se pahle der tak socā.

   I thought long before going.

2. late

   हमें देर हो रही है।‎

   hamẽ der ho rahī hai.

   We are getting late.

   देर आये दुरुस्त आये।‎

   der āye durust āye.

   (Prov.) Better late than never.

Usage notes

• देर ‎(der) can be considered an adverb in the same sense as it is considered an adjective (see देर से ‎(der se)).

References

• Bahri, Hardev (1989), “देर”, in Siksarthi Hindi-Angrejhi Sabdakosa [Learners' Hindi-English Dictionary], Delhi: Rajpal & Sons
• Platts, John T. A dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi, and English Oxford. 1884.