retrograde

adjective

• 1directed or moving backwards:a retrograde flow
• Astronomy & Astrology (of the apparent motion of a planet) in a reverse direction from normal (from east to west), resulting from the relative orbital progress of the earth and the planet. The opposite of prograde.
• Astronomy (of the orbit or rotation of a planet or planetary satellite) in a reverse direction from that normal in the solar system: the outer satellites move in retrograde orbits

• 2reverting to an earlier and inferior condition:to go back on the progress that has been made would be a retrograde step

• 3(of the order of something) reversed; inverse:the retrograde form of these inscriptions

• 4 Geology (of a metamorphic change) resulting from a decrease in temperature or pressure.

noun

• a degenerate person.

verb

• 1 archaic go back in position or time:our history must retrograde for the space of a few pages
• revert to an earlier and inferior condition: people cannot habitually trample on law and justice without retrograding toward barbarism

• 2 Astronomy show retrograde motion: all the planets will at some time appear to retrograde