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Origin and history of retrogression

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.

also from 1640s

Entries linking to retrogression

retrograde(adj.)

late 14c., of planets, "appearing to move in the sky contrary to the usual direction," from Latin retrogradus "going back, moving backward," from retrogradi "move backward," from retro "backward, reverse" (see retro-) + gradi "to go, step" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). General sense of "tending to revert" is recorded from 1530s; that of "directed backward, in a direction contrary to the original motion" is from 1620s. .

retrogress(v.)

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

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    degeneration
    c. 1600, "loss or impairment of the qualities proper to the race or kind," also figurative, "descent to an inferior state," from French dégéneration (15c.) or directly from Late Latin degenerationem (nominative degeneratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin degen
    regression
    early 15c., "act of passing back or returning," from Latin regressionem (nominative regressio) "a going back, a return," noun of action from past-participle stem of regredi "to go back" (see regress (n.)). From 1590s as "act of returning toward a point of departure" (of fluids, s
    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
    reciprocation
    especially if mutual), mutual giving and returning, interchange of acts," from Latin reciprocationem (nominative reciprocatio) "retrogression...
    transmutation
    late 14c., transmutacioun, "successive alteration and interchange," also "transformation in form or nature, metamorphosis; change of one substance into another," late 14c., from Old French transmutacion "transformation, change, metamorphosis" (12c.), from Late Latin transmutation
    reversion
    late 14c., reversioun, a legal word used in reference to the return of an estate to the heirs of a grantor on the expiration of the grant, from Old French reversion and directly from Latin reversionem (nominative reversio) "act of turning back," noun of action from past-participl
    shift
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    progression
    late 14c., progressioun, "action of moving from one condition to another," from Old French progression and directly from Latin progressionem (nominative progressio) "a going forward, advancement, growth, increase," noun of action from past-participle stem of progredi "go forward,
    terrific
    1660s, "frightening," from Latin terrificus "causing terror or fear, frightful," from terrere "fill with fear" (see terrible) + combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Weakened sensed of "very great, severe" (as in terrific headache) appeared 1809;
    clothes-horse
    also clothes horse, "upright wooden frame for hanging clothes to dry," 1788, from clothes + horse (n.) in its secondary sense "that upon which something is mounted." Figurative sense of "person whose sole function seems to be to show off clothes" is 1850. Clothes-screen, which ha

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