retrograde
/ˈɹɛtɹəˌɡɹeɪd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.09 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Directed or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel; retreating.
adj
Of ideas or a person: opposing social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo; conservative.
Example Sentences
- "retrograde ideas, morals, etc."
- "Such retrograde people still exist, resisting modernity, dragging their feet."
- "[…] in the form of the pussyfooted Alexis Smith. While referring to [Cole] Porter's 1946 film (alleged) biography, Night and Day, she mentions there were "certain aspects of the story which at that time they could not do." Was "certain aspects" a euphemism for gay? Smith's misplaced politeness here is truly retrograde."
- "In going back to school in Wittenberg, / It is most retrograde to our desire: / And we beseech you, bend you to remain"
- "Mercury retrograde"
- "The inauspicious connotations of Mercury retrograde are actually quite old, evidenced in an ancient branch of astrology known as horary astrology."
Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English retrograd, retrograde (“of a planet: appearing to move in a direction opposite to the order of the zodiac signs, retrograde; unfortunate”), from Middle French retrograde and Old French retrograde (“of a celestial object: appearing to move backwards; moving backwards; reverse; palindromic; opposed to change”) (modern French rétrograde), and from their etymon Latin retrōgradus (“of a celestial object: appearing to move backwards”) (compare Late Latin retrōgradus (“reverse; palindromic”)), from retrō (“back, backwards; behind; before, formerly”) + gradus (“pace, step”). By surface analysis, retro- + -grade. The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *gʰredʰ-, retrograd, retrograde, retrōgradus, retrograder, retrōgradior
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɹɛtɹəˌɡɹeɪd/
- British English: /ˈɹɛtɹə(ʊ)ɡɹeɪd/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more retrograde (comparative)
most retrograde (superlative)
retrogrades (plural)
retrogrades (present, singular)
retrograding (participle, present)
retrograded (participle, past)
retrograded (past)