retrospective

[ re-truh-spek-tiv ]
See synonyms for retrospective on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. directed to the past; contemplative of past situations, events, etc.

  2. looking or directed backward.

  1. retroactive, as a statute.

noun
  1. an art exhibit showing an entire phase or representative examples of an artist's lifework.

  2. any exhibition or series of showings or performances, as of musical works or motion pictures, representing the work of an artist or performer over all or a major part of a career: a retrospective of John Ford's movies.

Origin of retrospective

1
First recorded in 1655–65; retrospect + -ive

Other words from retrospective

  • ret·ro·spec·tive·ly, adverb
  • ret·ro·spec·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use retrospective in a sentence

  • It is unnecessary to add that the principle of the non-retrospectiveness of laws is altogether unknown to it.

    Boer Politics | Yves Guyot

British Dictionary definitions for retrospective

retrospective

/ (ˌrɛtrəʊˈspɛktɪv) /


adjective
  1. looking or directed backwards, esp in time; characterized by retrospection

  2. applying to the past; retroactive

noun
  1. an exhibition of an artist's life's work or a representative selection of it

Derived forms of retrospective

  • retrospectively, adverb
  • retrospectiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012