retraladj.
/ˈriːtr(ə)l/, /ˈrɛtr(ə)l/, U.S. /ˈritrəl/, /ˈrɛtrəl/ 1. Chiefly Zoology and Palaeontology. Posterior; situated at or towards the back; facing backwards.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > position at the back > [adjective]
afterOE
afterwardOE
hinderc1290
hinderera1340
hinda1400
backc1490
reara1500
posterior1578
rearward1581
backwarda1616
hindsome1634
postica1638
averse1646
postern1648
postical1657
reverse1675
aft1711
retrospective1785
hindward1797
retral1822
western1829
postjacent1878
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > specific areas or structures > [adjective] > of or situated at the back of an organism or organ
dorsal1728
retral1822
1822 J. Fleming Philos. Zool. II. ii. i. 118 Perhaps the terms anteal and retral may appear appropriate, the former expressing the extremity at the head, the latter its opposite.
1846 F. M'Coy Synopsis Silurian Fossils Ireland 25 [A] surface with about six strong, continuous, concentric ridges, having a slight retral wave in the front.
1881 Jrnl. Microsc. Sci. Jan. 66 Septal ridges and retral bars forming a coarse..raised network.
1937 Amer. Midl. Naturalist 18 532 The distinctly lamellose nature of the growth lines and their retral curve.
2003 Jrnl. Paleontol. 77 694/1 Posterior margin of carapace rounded with retral swing.
2. Of a movement or direction: backwards. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adjective] > having backward direction
backward1552
reflexed1595
reverted1658
refluent1741
retroverse1841
rearward1843
revert1854
retral1885
1885 Amer. Assoc. Advancem. Sci. 34 211 The special pull caused a slight retral slipping of the tidal crust.
2005 H. F. Wolf & K. H. Rateitschak Periodontol. (ed. 3) 175 Excessive force in the retral direction can force the condyle backwards and downwards.
Derivatives
ˈretrally adv. at or towards the back.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > position at the back > [adverb]
baftc885
afterwardOE
afterOE
at-hind1016
abackOE
behindc1220
backc1300
arrear1393
hinda1400
baftsc1400
dererec1410
abaft1495
ahind1768
retrally1825
a-rear1849
1825 Edinb. Philos. Jrnl. 12 239 It retrally tapers to a fine point.
1912 Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 22 7 They are straight, but are slightly oblique, retrally directed from above downward.
1998 Micropaleontology 44 60/1 Sutures..slightly retrally curved.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1822