retroact

English

Etymology

From retro- +‎ act.

Verb

retroact (third-person singular simple present retroacts, present participle retroacting, simple past and past participle retroacted)

1. To act retrospectively or in opposition
   • 1884, Edward Bellamy, “Chapter 15”, in Miss Ludington's Sister:

     In their eyes the past was good or bad for itself, and the present good or bad for itself, and an evil past could no more shadow a virtuous present than a virtuous present could retroact to brighten or redeem an ugly past.

2. to be retrospective.
3. (law) To apply (a law) retroactively to situations that predate the enactment of the law.
   • 2001, Republic of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9010:

     Sec. 4. The effectivity of this Act shall retroact to January 1, 2001.

Translations

to act backward, or in return; to act in opposition; to be retrospective

• French: rétroagir (fr)
• Italian: retroagire (it)

References

• “retroact”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.