Retrospectively

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a fashion that investigates past situations and their consequences
2. In a way that involves reflecting on historical contexts and their meanings
3. Looking back at past events or circumstances from a current standpoint

Etymology: "Retrospectively" is a formation of "retrospective" plus the adverbial ending "-ly", and the most interesting part of its story lies in that ending. The suffix descends from Old English "-līce", which was itself built on a Proto-Germanic root meaning "body" or "form," so "-ly" carries the sense of "in the manner of" or "in the form of." Its ancestry runs back through Proto-Germanic "-līkō" to a Proto-Indo-European root linked to the idea of resembling or having a shape, which is why "-ly" can turn an adjective like "retrospective" into a description of how something is done. The base word, "retrospective," is the component that does the looking. Its prefix "retro-" means "backward," and "-spect" comes from the Latin "specere," "to look." Put together, "retrospect" describes a backward glance, and "retrospective" describes something that looks back. Adding "-ly" turns that quality into a way of doing something: one considers the past retrospectively.

Synonyms: historically, in hindsight

Antonyms: prospectively