Retrospective Meaning
/ˌɹɛt.ɹə(ʊ)ˈspɛk.tɪv/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjOf, relating to, or contemplating the past.
adjLooking backwards.
Sentence Examples
We'll start the meeting with a retrospective look at the past year.
Kirsty went to the art gallery to see the Matisse retrospective.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The museum's ____ show looked back at the artist's first twenty years of work.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The gallery held a major ____ of the artist's work, spanning five decades of painting and sculpture.
Word Origin & History
From retrospect + -ive. From Latin retrōspectus, perfect passive participle of retrōspiciō (“to look back at”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"While the pictures of what precisely unfolded after Cissé looked to tread on Evans are not entirely conclusive, the Football Association will surely pore over them on Thursday before quite possibly using video evidence to impose lengthy retrospective bans stemming from an incident unseen by Anthony Taylor, the referee."
— 2015 March 4, Louise Taylor, The Guardian:
"Following a retrospective review of patient records, the parents of eligible patients were contacted by telephone to provide information about the study."
— 2025 August 13, Müjdat Erarkadaş, Kübra Özmeral Erarkadaş, Şahika Gülen Şişmanlar, “Autism Spectrum Disorder Beyond Childhood: A Comprehensive Assessment of Activities of Daily Living and Social Functioning in Turkish Adults”, in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, →DOI:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The museum's ____ show looked back at the artist's first twenty years of work.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The gallery held a major ____ of the artist's work, spanning five decades of painting and sculpture.