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Origin and history of retrogress

retrogress(v.)

"move backward; deteriorate," 1816, probably a back-formation from retrogression. Related: Retrogressed; retrogressing.

also from 1816

Entries linking to retrogress

retrogression(n.)

"the act of going backward," in reference to the apparent motion of planets in the sky, 1640s, noun of action, formed on model of progression, from Latin retrogressus, past participle of retrogradi "move backward" (see retrograde). Related: Retrogressional.

*ghredh-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to walk, go." 

It might form all or part of: aggress; aggression; aggressive; centigrade; congress; degrade; degree; degression; digress; digression; egress; gradation; grade; gradual; graduate; grallatorial; gravigrade; ingredient; ingress; plantigrade; progress; progression; regress; regression; retrograde; retrogress; tardigrade; transgress; transgression.

It might also be the source of: Latin gradus "a step, a pace, gait," figuratively "a step toward something, a degree of something rising by stages;" gradi "to walk, step, go;" Lithuanian gridiju, gridyti "to go, wander;" Old Church Slavonic gredo "to come;" Old Irish in-greinn "he pursues."

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    regress
    late 14c., regresse, "a return, passage back, act of going back," from Latin regressus "a return, retreat, a going back," noun use of past participle of regredi "to go back," from re- "back" (see re-) + gradi "to step, walk" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). More common in
    lapse
    mid-15c., "elapsing of time, expiration;" also "temporary forfeiture of a legal right" due to some failure or non-action by the holder, from Old French laps "lapse," from Latin lapsus "a slipping and falling, a landslide; flight (of time); falling into error," from labi "to glide
    recidivate
    "fall back; relapse, return to an abandoned course of conduct," 1610s (1520s as a past-participle adjective), from Medieval Latin recidivatus, past participle of recidivare "to relapse" (see recidivist). Marked as obsolete in OED 2nd edition (1989). Related: Recidivated; recidiva
    lose
    Old English losian "be lost, perish," from los "destruction, loss," from Proto-Germanic *lausa- (source also of Old Norse los "the breaking up of an army;" Old English forleosan "to lose, destroy," Old Frisian forliasa, Old Saxon farliosan, Middle Dutch verliesen, Old High German
    sloe
    "fruit of the blackthorn," a small, bluish-black drupe, Middle English slo, from Old English slah (plural slan), from Proto-Germanic *slaikhwon (source also of Middle Dutch sleeu, Dutch slee, Old High German sleha, German Schlehe), from PIE *sleiə- "blue, bluish, blue-black" (see
    sole
    "bottom of the human foot" ("technically, the planta, corresponding to the palm of the hand," Century Dictionary), early 14c., from Old French sole, from Vulgar Latin *sola, from Latin solea "sandal, bottom of a shoe; a flatfish," from solum "bottom, ground, foundation, lowest po
    decline
    late 14c., "to turn aside, deviate" (a sense now archaic), also "sink to a lower level," and, figuratively, "fall to an inferior or impaired condition," from Old French decliner "to sink, decline, degenerate, turn aside," from Latin declinare "to lower; avoid, deviate; bend from,
    progress
    early 15., progresse, "a going on, action of walking forward," from Old French progres (Modern French progrès) and directly from Latin progressus "a going forward, an advance," noun of action from past-participle stem of progredi "go forward," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + grad
    decree
    "special ordinance or regulation promulgated by authority," early 14c., originally ecclesiastical, secular use is by late 14c., from Old French decre, variant of decret (12c., Modern French décret), from Latin decretum, neuter of decretus, past participle of decernere "to decree,
    recede
    early 15c., receden, "to depart, go away," a sense now rare or obsolete; of things, "to move back, retreat, withdraw,"  from Old French receder and directly from Latin recedere "to go back, fall back; withdraw, depart, retire," from re- "back" (see re-) + cedere "to go" (fro

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