late 14c., originally of the apparent motions of planets, from Latin retrogradus "going back, going backward," from retrogradi "move backward," from retro- "backward" (see retro-) + gradi "to go, step" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). General sense of "tending to revert" is recorded from 1530s.
The glacier retrogrades
retrograde arguments
retro-
retroactive
retrocopulation
retrofit
retroflex
retrograde
retrogress
retrogression
retrogressive
retrospect
retrospection