retrograde

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɹɛtɹə(ʊ)ɡɹeɪd/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɹɛtɹəˌɡɹeɪd/ Hyphenation: re‧tro‧grade === Etymology 1 === 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. ==== Adjective ==== retrograde (comparative more retrograde, superlative most retrograde) Directed or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel; retreating. Reverting to an inferior or less developed state; declining, regressing. (zoology) Of an animal: appearing to regress to a less developed form during its lifetime. Of the order of something: inverse, reverse. (music) Having a passage of music played backwards. Of ideas or a person: opposing social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo; conservative. Synonyms: reactionary, traditionalist, backward Antonyms: liberal, progressist, reformist (archaic) Involving a return to or a retracing of a previous course of travel. Counterproductive to a desired outcome; contradictory, contrary. (astronomy) Of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body's spin. Antonyms: direct, prograde (also astrology, often postpositive) Of a celestial body: seeming to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. Mercury retrograde (geology) Of a metamorphic change: resulting from a decrease in pressure or temperature. Antonym: prograde (medicine) Of amnesia: relating to the period leading up to the episode which caused it. (poetry, archaic) Of verse: reading the same forwards or backwards; palindromic. ===== Antonyms ===== anterograde prograde ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== posigrade retrogradation ===== Translations ===== ==== Adverb ==== retrograde (comparative more retrograde, superlative most retrograde) In a reverse direction; backwards. Synonym: retrogradely ===== Translations ===== ==== Noun ==== retrograde (plural retrogrades) A movement backwards or opposite to the intended or normal motion. (astrology) The apparent movement of a planet across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. One who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo; a conservative. Synonyms: (both chiefly US, informal) mossback, mossyback, reactionary, traditionalist (archaic) One who reneges on an agreement, or switches loyalties; a rebel, a renegade. (music) The reversal of a melody so that what is played first in the original melody is played last, and what is played last in the original melody is played first. ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle French retrograder (“to (cause to) go back, return; to (cause to) move backwards; of a celestial object: to show retrograde motion; to date to an earlier period”) (modern French rétrograder), and from its etymon Latin retrōgradī (“to go or step back or backwards; of a celestial object: to show retrograde motion”) (compare Late Latin retrogradare, retrogradari, retrogredere), from retrō (“back, backwards; behind; before, formerly”) + gradior (“to step, walk; to advance, go”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰredʰ- (“to go; to walk”)). ==== Verb ==== retrograde (third-person singular simple present retrogrades, present participle retrograding, simple past and past participle retrograded) (transitive) (geography) To cause (a land feature such as a coastline or waterfall) to undergo retrogradation, that is, to travel in the direction of the land or upstream due to erosion. (geology) To change (minerals, rocks, etc.) metamorphically through a decrease in pressure or temperature. (obsolete) To cause (someone or something) to revert to an inferior or less developed state. (intransitive) To revert to an inferior or less developed state; to decline, to regress. (astrology, astronomy) Of a celestial body, especially a planet: to show retrogradation; to seem to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement. (geography) Of a land feature: to travel in the direction of the land or upstream due to erosion. (military) To retreat or withdraw from a position. (obsolete) To move backwards; to recede. Of the telling of an incident, etc.: to move to an earlier time. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Related terms ===== retrogress retrogression retrogressive ===== Translations ===== === References === === Further reading === apparent retrograde motion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia retrograde and prograde motion on Wikipedia.Wikipedia retrograde (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === retrogarde == German == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === retrograde inflection of retrograd: strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular strong nominative/accusative plural weak nominative all-gender singular weak accusative feminine/neuter singular == Italian == === Adjective === retrograde feminine plural of retrogrado == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /retɾoˈɡɾade/ [re.t̪ɾoˈɣ̞ɾa.ð̞e] Rhymes: -ade Syllabification: re‧tro‧gra‧de === Verb === retrograde inflection of retrogradar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative