Throwbacks

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈθɹəʊ.bæks/

Definitions

1. A nostalgic reminder of the past or something that harkens back to a previous era, often in a style or fashion that is reminiscent of earlier trends
2. A person or object that exhibits characteristics from an earlier time, typically reflecting styles, behaviors, or trends that are no longer current
3. A person or thing that resembles earlier generations or trends, indicating a connection to styles or behaviors from the past

Etymology: "Throwbacks" is the plural of "throwback," a noun formed from the phrasal verb "throw back." The verb itself is built from "throw," the everyday word for hurling something, combined with "back," which sends the motion returning toward an earlier point. Used literally, to throw back means to hurl something in reverse, or to return a fish to the water, and the sense of reverting to an earlier state grew from that idea of sending something backward in time or form. The noun came from the verb in the way many English nouns do, by taking a phrasal verb and turning it into a thing or a person. A throwback is therefore something that has been sent back toward an older form: a player who plays in an old style, a jersey copying a classic design, or a person whose manners seem to belong to another decade. The plural refers to several such examples at once, as when a collection of retro fashions is described as "throwbacks."

Synonyms: relics, remnants