throwback
Americannoun
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Biology.
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the reversion to an ancestral or earlier type or character; atavism.
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an individual having the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type; an example of atavism.
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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.
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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.
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a setback or check.
noun
verb
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(intr) to revert to an earlier or more primitive type
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to force to depend (on)
the crisis threw her back on her faith in God
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Massie is a throwback libertarian who, in lieu of the standard lawmaker flag pin, wears on his lapel a national debt clock that he programmed himself.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
I'm more partial to Per Sempre Sì, a throwback disco song from veteran Italian star Sal Da Vinci.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Video of Schneemann’s home run shows the ball flying over the left-center field wall, where a bearded man wearing a throwback Cleveland Indians hat and T-shirt tried to catch it in the air.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
Less diner throwback, more quiet luxury: a deeply savory loaf built for structure and real browning, with bronzed edges and a plush, sliceable interior.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
“You said I was a throwback kid, remember?”
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
