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Retroactive vs Retrospective - What's the difference?

retroactive | retrospective |

As adjectives the difference between retroactive and retrospective

is that retroactive is extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions while retrospective is of, relating to, or contemplating the past.

As a noun retrospective is

an exhibition of works from an extended period of an artist's activity.

retroactive

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Extending in scope, effect, application or influence to a prior time or to prior conditions

    • Related terms

    * retroaction * retroactively

    See also

    *ex post facto *retrospective

    retrospective

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of, relating to, or contemplating the past
  • looking backwards
  • affecting or influencing past things; retroactive

    • Noun

    (wikipedia retrospective) (en noun)
  • an exhibition of works from an extended period of an artist's activity

    • See also

    * (l) – scholarly analog * (l) * (l)