retrospective

American  

[re-truh-spek-tiv] / ˌrɛ trəˈspɛk tɪv /

adjective

1. directed to the past; contemplative of past situations, events, etc.

2. looking or directed backward.

3. retroactive, as a statute.

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noun

• retrospectives
  plural

1. an art exhibit showing an entire phase or representative examples of an artist's lifework.

2. any exhibition or series of showings or performances, as of musical works or motion pictures, representing the work of an artist or performer over all or a major part of a career.

   a retrospective of John Ford's movies.

retrospective British  

/ ˌrɛtrəʊˈspɛktɪv /

adjective

1. looking or directed backwards, esp in time; characterized by retrospection

2. applying to the past; retroactive

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noun

1. an exhibition of an artist's life's work or a representative selection of it

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• retrospectiveness
  noun
• retrospectively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• retrospectives
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of retrospective

First recorded in 1655–65; retrospect + -ive

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Explanation

Retrospective means looking back. An art exhibit that cover an artist's entire career is called a retrospective because it looks back at the work the artist has produced over many years. Retro- means back, -spect- means look (think: spectacles), so the word means literally 'a looking back.' Many people take a retrospective look at their lives on birthdays or on New Year's Eve to evaluate events and see how well they've met their goals. You could call the yearly evaluation you get from your boss a retrospective review of your work.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

retrospective retrospectives

Ashfield District Council rejected a retrospective application by fairground operator Mellors Group, external to use Grade II listed hangars at the Watnall Road site as a rollercoaster testing and storage site on 20 October.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

After its debut at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the first U.S. retrospective of his work in more than 50 years now moves to Philadelphia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

The director had the same feelings two years ago, at LACMA’s Ruscha retrospective.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026

"Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are still hungry for authenticity," bass player Krist Novoselic said after a video retrospective of the band's videos.

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

But historians are nevertheless able to evaluate related hypotheses by retrospective tests.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

“Confessions II” features intimate retrospectives of Madonna’s career and personal life — rare, clear-eyed visits to the past from an artist who has always preferred to keep her eyes on the future.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

As exhibitions, books and retrospectives built his renown, Hockney increasingly relied on travel—to Paris and elsewhere—so he could work undisturbed before friends and others crowded his schedule.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Regardless of the inspiration these repertory theaters provide with, say, retrospectives of Akira Kurosawa, the model is not bulletproof to the punches theaters have taken.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2025

Their December lineup includes a spotlight on Parker Posey; retrospectives dedicated to Yasujiro Ozu and Ousmane Sembène; and some holiday noir, MGM musicals and “Hitchcock for the Holidays.”

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 20, 2023

By the early 1970s he was organizing as many as 800 programs there each year, from Preston Sturges retrospectives to programs of Russian silent films, new German cinema and movies from Senegal.

From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2023

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Related Words

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