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- DictionaryRet·ro·ac·tive/ˌretrōˈaktiv/
adjective
- 1. (especially of legislation) taking effect from a date in the past: "a big retroactive tax increase"
(of a law or other agreement) having effect from the time before the law or agreement was approved: I’m getting a retroactive salary increase. retroactively. adverb [ not gradable ] us / ˌre·troʊˈæk·tɪv·li / The courts cannot apply a new rule retroactively.
Retroactive definition: operative with respect to past occurrences, as a statute; retrospective. See examples of RETROACTIVE used in a sentence.
3 days ago · 1. having application to or effect on things done prior to its enactment. a retroactive law. 2. going into effect as of a specified date in the past. a retroactive increase.
adjective. /ˌretrəʊˈæktɪv/ (formal) (also more frequent retrospective) (of a new law or decision) intended to take effect from a particular date in the past rather than from the present date. Join us. Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press!
Referring to a law, a ruling, and so on affecting matters that occurred beforehand; affecting past happenings. See also prospective. Webster's New World Law. Synonyms: retro. ex post facto. Antonyms: proactive. Origin of Retroactive.
formal. : effective from a particular date in the past. They all received a retroactive pay raise. The new tax will be retroactive to January 1. — retroactively. adverb. The new law will be applied retroactively. RETROACTIVE meaning: effective from a particular date in the past.
1. applying or referring to the past: retroactive legislation. 2. effective or operative from a date or for a period in the past. ˌretroˈactively adv. ˌretroˈactiveness, ˌretroacˈtivity n. Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014.
