First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1retrograde
adjective ret·ro·grade \ˈre-trə-ˌgrād\
: returning to an earlier and usually worse state or condition
: moving backward
Full Definition of RETROGRADE
1
a (1) : having or being motion in a direction contrary to that of the general motion of similar bodies and especially east to west among the stars <Saturn is retrograde for another week> (2) : having or being a direction of rotation or revolution that is clockwise as viewed from the north pole of the sky or a planet <a retrograde orbit> b (1) : moving, occurring, or performed in a backward direction (2) : occurring or performed in a direction opposite to the normal or forward direction of conduction or flow — compare anterograde 1 c : contrary to the normal order : inverse
2
: tending toward or resulting in a worse or previous state
3
archaic : contradictory, opposed
4
: characterized by retrogression
5
: affecting memories of a period prior to a shock or seizure <retrograde amnesia>
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Origin of RETROGRADE
Middle English, from Latin retrogradus, from retrogradi
Related to RETROGRADE
- Antonyms
- contemporary, current, hot, mod, modern, modernist, modernistic, new age, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-date
Rhymes with RETROGRADE
accolade, Adelaide, ambuscade, aquacade, balustrade, barricade, cable-laid, cannonade, carronade, cavalcade, centigrade, chambermaid, chiffonade, colonnade, countertrade, custom-made, dairymaid, defilade, enfilade, escalade, escapade, esplanade, everglade, foreign aid, fusillade, gallopade, gasconade, grant-in-aid, hawser-laid, hearing aid, intergrade, legal aid, lemonade, marinade, marmalade, masquerade, meter maid, motorcade, orangeade, orthograde, overtrade, palisade, panty raid, pasquinade, plantigrade, promenade, ready-made, renegade, serenade, stock-in-trade, tailor-made, underlaid, visual aid
2retrograde
adverb
3retrograde
verb
Definition of RETROGRADE
transitive verb
archaic : to turn back : reverse
intransitive verb
1
a : to go back : retreat b : to go back over or recapitulate something
2
: to decline to a worse condition
Origin of RETROGRADE
Latin retrogradi, from retro- + gradi to go — more at grade
First Known Use: 1582
Medical Dictionary
retrograde
adjective ret·ro·grade \ˈre-trə-ˌgrād\
Medical Definition of RETROGRADE
1
: characterized by retrogression
2
: affecting memories of a period prior to a shock or seizure <retrograde amnesia>
3
: occurring or performed in a direction opposite to the normal or forward direction of conduction or flow: as a : occurring along nerve cell processes toward the cell body <retrograde axonal transport> <retrograde degeneration of nerve fibers> b : occurring opposite to the normal direction or path of blood circulation <apply bandaging to the lower extremities to produce pressure to reduce retrograde blood flow in veins with incompetent valves>—compare anterograde 2
—ret·ro·grade·ly adverb
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