Retrogrado

Retrógrado is an adjective used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe movement toward the back, regressive characteristics, or a backward-looking stance. The term derives from Latin retrogradus (retro- meaning “back” and gradus meaning “step”). In Spanish the common form is retrógrado, with an accent on the o, while Portuguese uses retrógrado in similar contexts.

In astronomy, retrograde motion refers to the apparent backward path of a planet as observed from Earth. This illusion arises from the relative speeds of Earth and the other planet; when Earth overtakes a slower outer planet, that planet seems to move westward across the background stars for a period before resuming its ordinary direction.

In astrology and popular culture, retrógrado is used to describe periods when a planet, especially Mercury, is thought to influence communication, technology, and planning. While widely discussed in media and everyday discourse, these beliefs are not supported by scientific evidence.

In political and social language, retrógrado is employed to label ideas, institutions, or regimes that are considered regressive or opposed to social or political progress.

See also: retrograde, retrogradation. This term thus spans scientific usage as an optical illusion in astronomy and figurative uses in culture and politics, reflecting the core sense of moving or thinking backward.

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