throwback

American  

[throh-bak] / ˈθroʊˌbæk /

noun

throwbacks plural

1. Biology.

   1. the reversion to an ancestral or earlier type or character; atavism.

   2. an individual having the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type; an example of atavism.

2. a person or thing that evokes memories or imitates something from the past (often used attributively): On their anniversary, she took to social media with a throwback photo from their wedding reception.

   These chandeliers are designed as a throwback to those old-style candlelit lanterns.

   On their anniversary, she took to social media with a throwback photo from their wedding reception.

3. an act of throwing back.

   A sudden ban on fish throwbacks could harm ecosystems, since a range of predator species are reliant on discarded fish as a food source.

4. a setback or check.

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throwback British  

/ ˈθrəʊˌbæk /

noun

1. 1. a person, animal, or plant that has the characteristics of an earlier or more primitive type

   2. a reversion to such an organism

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verb

1. (intr) to revert to an earlier or more primitive type

2. to force to depend (on)

   the crisis threw her back on her faith in God

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• throwbacks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of throwback

First recorded in 1855–60; 1915–20 throwback for def. 1; noun use of verb phrase throw back

Explanation

A return to an older way of doing something—or an old characteristic that reappears—is a throwback. If you like dressing in bell bottoms and leisure suits, your style is a throwback to the 1970s. The noun throwback can be a less-formal way to say atavism. Both words describe a reversion to something that was done (or existed) in the past. If you have red hair like your great-grandmother, you can call that trait a throwback. In sports, a throwback uniform is one that mimics an older style, worn by teams in the past. In biology, a throwback is a trait that returns after having been lost through evolution.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

throwback throwbacks

The different price action between artificial-intelligence hyperscalers and chip and infrastructure stocks is a throwback to a setup in the late 1990s, argues JPMorgan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

To mark the 30th anniversary of Wannabe, the Spice Girls have shared tributes on social media, with Geri Halliwell posting a throwback photo of the group and thanking her "beautiful spice sisters" and fans.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

The Laemmle NoHo 7 on Lankershim is my little ’90s throwback Sunset 5, but in the Valley.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

Cast member and “Game of Thrones” alum Kit Harington, resident expert on series that reshaped the medium, agrees that “Industry” is a bit of a throwback in this respect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026

It was true that he was intelligent and sure of himself, but there was an innocence about him, too, a confidence without ego, a throwback to another time and place, which she found endearing.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

From Gen Z to Boomers, listeners across generations are increasingly embracing throwbacks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026

Or the yellow Formica kitchen, with its Pyrex hot plate, wall-mounted radio, original Eames barstools and drop-leaf dining table still intact — all charming throwbacks to a simpler time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2025

Her paintings contain visual throwbacks to the gilding and draperies of Renaissance paintings, yet also represent stars from films and pop culture.

From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2024

For more than 20 years, the channel has nurtured and promoted alternative music, introducing new fans to the scene and indulging old ones with iconic throwbacks.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2024

And though the tiger was the match of any unaltered creature of the winter forests, these powerful, saber-toothed throwbacks were not to be tested.

From The Mantooth by Leadem, Christopher

Related Words

• estate
• gift
• tradition