adj. Influencing or applying to a period prior to enactment: a retroactive pay increase. [French rétroactif, from Latin retroāctus, past participle of retroagere, to drive back : retrō-, retro- + agere, to drive; see ag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] ret′ro·active·ly adv. ret′ro·ac·tivi·ty n. |
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