From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishponderouspon‧der‧ous /ˈpɒndərəs $ ˈpɑːn-/ adjective 1 SLOWCLUMSYslow or awkward because of being very big and heavy an elephant’s ponderous walk2 BORINGboring, very serious, and seeming to progress very slowly a ponderous and difficult book The system, though ponderous, works. —ponderously adverb —ponderousness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
ponderous• It seemed like such a ponderous and old-fashioned choice.• The old lady's footsteps could be heard, ponderous and threatening, on the front steps.• You could feel the spirit of Roy Peck there in that big old white frame house with the ponderous cottonwoods in front.• an elephant's ponderous head• The only other downside I noticed was that the car tended to be a little ponderous in lower gears around town.• His films are ponderous, occasionally dull, always intriguing and kind of great.• Holyfield had a considerable advantage over his ponderous opponent.• Once a few have been mastered it is surprising how quickly the most ponderous sounding scientific name acquires a familiar ring.• Inquiry is a serious matter and should be done boldly, whether applied to innovation or ponderous theoretical matter.• Woolley released three loud chords, and started on a ponderous version of the Sailors' Horn pipe.• the professor's ponderous voiceOrigin ponderous (1300-1400) French pondéreux, from Latin ponderosus, from pondus; → PONDER 