retrograde

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛtɹə(ʊ)ɡɹeɪd/
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• Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• General-American: /ˈɹɛtɹəˌɡɹeɪd/
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• CMU ARPABET: R EH1 T R AH0 G R EY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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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.

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”)).

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Bulgarian: обратен (obraten) — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Catalan: retrògrad — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Czech: upadající — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Czech: zpátečnický — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Finnish: retrogradinen — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• French: rétrograde — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• German: retrograd — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Hindi: प्रतिगामी (pratigāmī) — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Russian: ретрогра́дный (retrográdnyj) — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Swedish: bakåtsträvande — or moving backwards in relation to the normal or previous direction of travel
• Catalan: retrògrad — reverting to an inferior or less developed state — see also declining, regressing
• Catalan: retrògrad — having a passage of music played backwards
• French: rétrograde — counterproductive to a desired outcome
• Afrikaans: retrograde — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Bulgarian: ретрограден (retrograden) — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Chinese Mandarin: 逆行 (nìxíng) — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Czech: retrográdní — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Czech: zpětný — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Finnish: retrogradinen — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• French: rétrograde — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Ancient Greek: ἀφαιρετικός (aphairetikós) — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Persian: بازگشتی (bâzgašti) — of a celestial body orbiting another: in the opposite direction to the orbited body’s spin
• Bulgarian: ретрограден (retrograden) — of a celestial body: seeming to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement
• Finnish: taannehtiva — of a celestial body: seeming to move across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement
• Czech: retrográdní — of a metamorphic change: resulting from a decrease in pressure or temperature
• Bulgarian: отстъпване (otstǎpvane) — movement backwards or opposite to the intended or normal motion
• Bulgarian: отстъп (otstǎp) — movement backwards or opposite to the intended or normal motion
• Bulgarian: ретроградие (retrogradie) — apparent movement of a planet across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement
• Finnish: taannehtiminen — apparent movement of a planet across the sky in the opposite direction from its ordinary movement
• Bulgarian: реакционер (reakcioner) — one who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo — see also conservative
• French: rétrograde — one who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo — see also conservative
• Russian: ретрогра́д (retrográd) — one who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo — see also conservative
• Russian: ретрогра́дка (retrográdka) — one who opposes social reform, favouring the maintenance of the status quo — see also conservative
• Chinese Mandarin: 逆行 (nìxíng) — reversal of a melody
• Finnish: taannehtia — of a celestial body: to show retrogradation
• Italian: retrogradare — of a celestial body: to show retrogradation
• Bulgarian: отстъпвам (otstǎpvam) — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Bulgarian: отстъпя (otstǎpja) — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Finnish: vetäytyä — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Latin: regredior — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Latin: abscēdō — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Latin: inclīnō — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Latin: subdūcō — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position
• Persian: بازگشتن (bâzgaštan) — (military) to retreat or withdraw from a position