retcon
/ˈɹɛtˌkɒn/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.92 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "TLC: What do you say to the Legion fans who have become disenfranchised with the series due to its various retcons and reboots?"
- "Fans talk of retcon—retroactive continuity—giving information that explains an earlier event, especially seeming plot contradictions or lacunae."
- "It's a little trick called retcon, short for "retroactive continuity," […] Yet I'm unsure even Millar is fully aware of the power given him by the retcon."
- "While ‘retconning' the scripts, I came up with a number of theories that throw new light on the Doctor, his past, and various other elements[…]"
- "A lot of people were like, "Oh, they just retconned their own continuity. They should have used Kyle. I don't like that." So we just threw Kyle in there to say, "No, no, Kyle's still there. He still exists in the animated universe; he's just not stationed on Earth at the moment, regularly.""
- "Retroactive continuity (aka retconning), would reveal that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are also Magneto's children, showing that this was a guy who was really committed to his cause"
Etymology
A blend of retroactive + continuity. The term retroactive continuity was popularized by comics writer Roy Thomas, who was known for writing superhero comic books set decades in the past, such as All-Star Squadron, and attributes it to an anonymous source.
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈɹɛtˌkɒn/