retrograde

Where does the word "retrograde" come from? It comes from Latin retro gradi, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

Retrograde’s story begins in Latin: retro gradi meant “to go backward.” To go backward, from retro- (backward) and gradi (to step, to walk). Within Latin, it grew into retrogradus by ancient. Moving backward, from retrogradi. It reached English by 1300s as retrograde. Settled as the English word for moving backward or reverting to an earlier state. Today, retrograde means moving backward, or reverting to a former and typically worse state.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient retro gradi "to go backward", to go backward, from retro- (backward) and gradi (to step, to walk).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient retrogradus "moving backward", moving backward, from retrogradi.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s retrograde "moving backward, or reverting to an earlier and worse state", settled as the English word for moving backward or reverting to an earlier state.