retroactive

CEFRC1

/ˌɹɛt.ɹəʊˈæk.tɪv/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Taking effect from a date in the past.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions

Examples

  • Retroactive jealousy is more toxic than reactive jealousy.

  • Can such a child be ennobled by the passage of time, his struggles granted retroactive gravitas and his childish confusions rearticulated with adult clarity?

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
2
Parts of speech
1
Citations
3

Also pronounced

  • /ˌɹɛ.tɹoʊˈæk.tɪv/

Deep Dive

More examples

In context

  • Rather, he hoped there was some legal trickeration he could deploy to get a retroactive water right filed and end-run the opposition.

  • Such assumptions can motivate expressions of cisgenderism such as retroactive misgendering (in which a person's past is described using language that disregards or contrasts with their current designation of their gender) […]

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The pay raise was blank, so employees got extra money for past months.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

First attested in 1610. From French rétroactif, equivalent to retro- + active.