retrospettivo

retrospective

adjective reh-troh-spet-TEE-voh Rare

Origin: From Latin retrospicere (to look back), from retro- + specere (to look).

Also means

looking back

Usage Note

Retrospettivo can also function as a noun (una retrospettiva, f) when referring to an art exhibition reviewing an artist's career. As an adjective it agrees in gender: retrospettiva (f), retrospettivi (m pl), retrospettive (f pl). In law, effetto retrospettivo means retroactive effect.

Examples

"La mostra retrospettiva celebrava cinquant'anni di carriera."

Natural Translation

The retrospective exhibition celebrated fifty years of career.

Literal Translation

The exhibition retrospective celebrated fifty-years of career.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

C'è vs Ci Sono: There Is/Are in Italian

C'è for one thing, ci sono for many — that's the rule. Master Italian's there is/there are with c'era, ci sarà, è vs c'è, and non c'è nessuno.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian False Friends: 20 Words That Trick You

Italian false friends like preservativo, parenti, and caldo mean the opposite of what English speakers expect. Here are 20 ranked by how badly they bite.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Reflexive Verbs: Mi Chiamo, Mi Alzo & More

Italian reflexive verbs use mi, ti, si, ci, vi, si — learn the pronouns, conjugate chiamarsi and alzarsi, master your daily routine, and the modal-verb rule.

June 5, 2026 5 min read