Associations to the word «Retroactive»

Wiktionary

RETROACTIVE, adjective. Extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions
RETROACTIVE LAW, noun. (legal) Any law that makes a prior legal act illegal, or increases the penalty for a prior illegal act.

Dictionary definition

RETROACTIVE, adjective. Descriptive of any event or stimulus or process that has an effect on the effects of events or stimuli or process that occurred previously.
RETROACTIVE, adjective. Affecting things past; "retroactive tax increase"; "an ex-post-facto law"; "retro pay".

Wise words

Language is a process of free creation; its laws and principles are fixed, but the manner in which the principles of generation are used is free and infinitely varied. Even the interpretation and use of words involves a process of free creation.
Noam Chomsky