retrospective

What it means

1. Of, relating to, or contemplating the past.

   Following a retrospective review of patient records, the parents of eligible patients were contacted by telephone to provide information about the study.

   2025 August 13, Müjdat Erarkadaş, Kübra Özmeral Erarkadaş, Şahika Gülen Şişmanlar, “Autism Spectrum Disorder Beyond Childhood: A Comprehensive Assessment of Activities of Daily Living and Social Functioning in Turkish Adults”, in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, →DOI

   1 more example

   While the pictures of what precisely unfolded after Cissé looked to tread on Evans are not entirely conclusive, the Football Association will surely pore over them on Thursday before quite possibly using video evidence to impose lengthy retrospective bans stemming from an incident unseen by Anthony Taylor, the referee.

   2015 March 4, Louise Taylor, The Guardian

2. Looking backwards.
3. Affecting or influencing past things; retroactive.

In a sentence

While the pictures of what precisely unfolded after Cissé looked to tread on Evans are not entirely conclusive, the Football Association will surely pore over them on Thursday before quite possibly using video evidence to impose lengthy retrospective bans stemming from an incident unseen by Anthony Taylor, the referee.

2015 March 4, Louise Taylor, The Guardian

Where it comes from

1. Latinretrōspectus
2. Englishretrospective

From retrospect + -ive. From Latin retrōspectus, perfect passive participle of retrōspiciō (“to look back at”).