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retroject

/ˌɹɛtɹoʊˈd͡ʒɛkt/

verb

To project into the past; to insert anachronistically into a historical reconstruction.

Scrabble 18

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Meanings

verbretroject (third-person singular simple present retrojects, present participle retrojecting, simple past and past participle retrojected)

present singular third person retrojects · participle present retrojecting · participle past retrojected · past retrojected

transitiveTo project into the past; to insert anachronistically into a historical reconstruction.
Rav Sa'adia probably wanted to retroject our prayers and blessings back to the time of the Prophets as part of his polemic with the Karaites who rejected the Oral Torah.
2024, David Golinkin, “Naḥem On Tisha B'Av: Is It Permissible To Change The Wording?”, in Responsa in a Moment, volume 4, page 132

Origin

Mid 19th-century. Combination of retro- (“back”) + (pro)ject.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with retroject

subject project select direct effect object perfect respect connect correct protect expect affect reflect collect checked suspect detect incorrect indirect prospect elect defect neglect

Cite this entry

APA

retroject. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retroject

MLA

“retroject.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retroject. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “retroject,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retroject.

Source: retroject on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.