retrogradation

American  

[re-troh-grey-dey-shuhn] / ˌrɛ troʊ greɪˈdeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. backward movement.

2. decline or deterioration.

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Other Word Forms

• retrogradatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of retrogradation

1545–55; < Late Latin retrōgradātiōn- (stem of retrōgradātiō ), probably equivalent to Latin retrōgrad ( us ) retrograde + -ātiō -ation, as translation of Greek anapodismós

Example Sentences

The retrogradation of wheat starch in bread is responsible for staling.

From New York Times • Aug. 6, 2016

As it cools down, the starch goes through a process called retrogradation and the molecules begin to to rearrange and realign themselves into a crystalline structure again.

From Forbes • Nov. 23, 2011

At long intervals some master-minds appeared, looking upon each advance in practical science as a retrogradation in the true utility.

From Edgar Allan Poe's Complete Poetical Works by Poe, Edgar Allan

In truth, however, the retrogradation was much slighter than appeared on the surface.

From American Political Ideas Viewed from the Standpoint of Universal History by Fiske, John

The arc of retrogradation is the angular distance thus apparently traversed.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir