retroactive
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retroactive
- /ˌɹɛt.ɹəʊˈæk.tɪv/ UK
- /ˌɹɛ.tɹoʊˈæk.tɪv/ US
Where it comes from
First attested in 1610. From French rétroactif, equivalent to retro- + active.
adjective
-
Extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions.
Lenin's retroactive view of history was of course nothing in comparison to the systematic falsification of Stalin's day, when it had to be shown at all costs that the current assessment of individuals and political movements was equally valid for all past years.
Similar: ex post facto
Translations
Every language
adj extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions
| Español | retroactivo |
|---|---|
| Português | retroativo |
| Français | rétroactif |
| Deutsch | rückwirkend |
| Italiano | retroattivo |
| Ελληνικά | αναδρομικός anadromikós |
| Русский | ретроакти́вный retroaktívnyj |
Talk about this word "retroactive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/retroactive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. retroactive. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/retroactive "retroactive." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/retroactive.Cite this
@misc{retroactive_2026,
title = {retroactive},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/retroactive},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
