Retroactive

/ˌrɛtroʊˈæktɪv/ adjective

Definition

Taking effect from a date in the past rather than from the present or future. Applied to laws, policies, or decisions that affect previous actions or situations.

Etymology

From Latin 'retro' meaning backward + 'activus' meaning active, from 'agere' to act. Coined in legal and administrative contexts to describe actions that reach backward in time.

Kelly Says

Retroactive captures one of law's most powerful concepts - the ability to reach back in time and change the meaning of past events, demonstrating how human institutions can sometimes bend the normally linear flow of cause and effect.

Translations

AFAfrikaans
retroactive
retroactive
AMአማርኛ
retroactive
retroactive
ARالعربية
retroactive
retroactive
BGБългарски
retroactive
retroactive
BNবাংলা
retroactive
retroactive
CACatalà
retroactive
retroactive
CSČeština
retroactive
retroactive
DADansk
retroactive
retroactive
DEDeutsch
rückwirkend
rückwirkend
ELΕλληνικά
retroactive
retroactive
ESEspañol
retroactivo
retroactivo
ETEesti
retroactive
retroactive
EUEuskara
retroactive
retroactive
FAفارسی
retroactive
retroactive
FISuomi
retroactive
retroactive
FRFrançais
rétroactif
rétroactif
GLGalego
retroactive
retroactive
HEעברית
retroactive
retroactive
HIहिन्दी
retroactive
retroactive
HRHrvatski
retroactive
retroactive
HUMagyar
retroactive
retroactive
IDBahasa Indonesia
retroactive
retroactive
ITItaliano
retroattivo
retroattivo
JA日本語
遡及する
遡及する
KO한국어
소급하는
소급하는
LTLietuvių
retroactive
retroactive
LVLatviešu
retroactive
retroactive
MNМонгол
retroactive
retroactive
MSBahasa Melayu
retroactive
retroactive
MYမြန်မာ
retroactive
retroactive
NLNederlands
retroactive
retroactive
NONorsk
retroactive
retroactive
PLPolski
retroactive
retroactive
PTPortuguês
retroactive
retroactive
RORomână
retroactive
retroactive
RUРусский
ретроактивный
ретроактивный
SKSlovenčina
retroactive
retroactive
SLSlovenščina
retroactive
retroactive
SRСрпски
retroactive
retroactive
SVSvenska
retroactive
retroactive
SWKiswahili
retroactive
retroactive
TAதமிழ்
retroactive
retroactive
TEతెలుగు
retroactive
retroactive
THไทย
retroactive
retroactive
TRTürkçe
retroactive
retroactive
UKУкраїнська
retroactive
retroactive
URاردو
retroactive
retroactive
VITiếng Việt
retroactive
retroactive
ZH中文
追溯的
追溯的

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.