retrospect

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin retrōspectum, from retrōspicio (“to look back at”), equivalent to retro- +‎ -spect Compare review.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛtɹəˌspɛkt/

Noun

retrospect (plural retrospects)

Consideration of past times.
- 1853, Charlotte Bronte, "Villette":
  My mind, calmer and stronger now than last night, made for itself some imperious rules, prohibiting under deadly penalties all weak retrospect of happiness past; commanding a patient journeying through the wilderness of the present...
- 1976, Terry Kay, The Year the Lights Came On, University of Georgia Press, published 1989, →ISBN, page 298:
  Whether, like Colin, in retrospect Willie Lee and Baptist would feel that what has vanished was greater than what was achieved, is not something we can predict.
Antonym: prospect

Derived terms

in retrospect
retrospectical
retrospection
retrospective

Translations

consideration of past times

Basque: iraganera begiratze, atzera begiratze
Bulgarian: ретроспекция (bg) f (retrospekcija)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 回顧／回顾 (zh) (huígù)
Finnish: jälkikäteistarkastelu, katsaus menneeseen
French: rétrospection (fr) f, coup d'œil rétrospectif m
German: Rückblick (de) m, Rückschau (de) f
Hebrew: דיעבד‎ (he) (di'avád)
Japanese: 回顧 (ja) (かいこ, kaiko), 遡上 (ja) (sojō)
Russian: взгляд наза́д m (vzgljad nazád), взгляд в про́шлое m (vzgljad v próšloje), ретроспекти́вный взгляд (retrospektívnyj vzgljad)
Scottish Gaelic: ath-bheachd m, sealltainn air ais m

Verb

retrospect (third-person singular simple present retrospects, present participle retrospecting, simple past and past participle retrospected)

To look or refer back to; to reflect on.
- 1800: Alexander Hamilton, Letter from Alexander Hamilton, Concerning the Public Conduct and Character of John Adams, Esq. President of the United States - To give a correct idea of the circumstances.., it may be useful to retrospect to an early period.

Anagrams

protecters, reprotects