Standard Lemma guide

retrospection

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The deliberate recall of past events.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

memory for experiences that are past

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • some psychologists tried to contrast retrospection and introspection

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: memory, remembering

3

noun

Meaning 3

reference to things past

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the story begins with no introductory retrospections

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mention, reference

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ретроспекция (retrospekcija) — the deliberate recall of past events
  • French: rétrospection — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Indonesian: retrospeksi — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Irish: aisbhreathnú — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Italian: retrospezione — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Japanese: 懐古 (kaiko) — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Polish: retrospekcja — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Portuguese: retrospeção — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Portuguese: retrospecção — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Tagalog: pagbabalik-tanaw — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Tagalog: balik-tanaw — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Telugu: సింహావలోకనము (siṁhāvalōkanamu) — the deliberate recall of past events
  • Turkish: anımsamak — the deliberate recall of past events