2. (Biol.) Passing from a higher to a lower condition; declining from a more perfect state of organization; regressive. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
retrogressive — index back (in reverse), bad (offensive), decadent, regressive Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton … Law dictionary
retrogressive — 1817; see RETROGRESS (Cf. retrogress) + IVE (Cf. ive). Related: Retrogressively … Etymology dictionary
retrogressive — regressive, retrograde, *backward Analogous words: reversing, inverting (see REVERSE vb): receding, retreating, retrograding (see RECEDE) Antonyms: progressive Contrasted words: advancing, furthering, forwarding (see ADVANCE vb): improving,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
retrogressive — ret·ro·gres·sive gres iv adj characterized by retrogression: as a) declining from a better to a worse state <a retrogressive disease> b) passing from a higher to a lower level of organization <retrogressive evolution> … Medical dictionary
retrogressive — [[t]re̱trəgre̱sɪv[/t]] ADJ (disapproval) If you describe an action or idea as retrogressive, you disapprove of it because it returns to old ideas or beliefs and does not take advantage of recent progress. [FORMAL] The Prime Minister is still… … English dictionary
retrogressive — adjective formal returning to an earlier and worse situation: a retrogressive idea | retrogressive change retrogressively adverb … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
retrogressive — adjective Date: 1802 characterized by retrogression: as a. going or directed backward b. declining from a better to a worse state c. passing from a higher to a lower level of organization < retrogressive evolution > • retrogressively adverb … New Collegiate Dictionary
retrogressive — ret|ro|gres|sive [ˌretrəˈgresıv] adj formal returning to an earlier and worse situation = ↑regressive ▪ retrogressive legislation >retrogress v >retrogression [ ˈgreʃən][i] n [singular,U] … Dictionary of contemporary English
retrogressive — ret|ro|gres|sive [ ,retrou gresıv ] adjective returning to a condition or state that is worse than the present one, instead of improving or making progress: a negative and retrogressive step … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
retrogressive — UK [ˌretrəʊˈɡresɪv] / US [ˌretroʊˈɡresɪv] adjective returning to a condition or state that is worse than the present one, instead of improving or making progress a negative and retrogressive step … English dictionary
