- directed to the past; contemplative of past situations, events, etc.
- looking or directed backward.
- retroactive, as a statute.
- an art exhibit showing an entire phase or representative examples of an artist's lifework.
- any exhibition or series of showings or performances, as of musical works or motion pictures, representing the work of an artist or performer over all or a major part of a career: a retrospective of John Ford's movies.
- looking or directed backwards, esp in time; characterized by retrospection
- applying to the past; retroactive
- an exhibition of an artist's life's work or a representative selection of it
