throwback
throwback Lexical Profile
throwback Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person or thing having the characteristics of a former time, or something that evokes fond memories of an earlier period.
"With its neon jukebox and vinyl booths, the neighborhood diner is a charming throwback to the 1950s."
In biology and genetics, a reversion to an ancestral type or characteristic, or an organism exhibiting such a trait.
"The appearance of extra toes in certain modern horses is considered an evolutionary throwback to their prehistoric ancestors."
A setback, check, or reversal of progress.
"The sudden loss of funding was a temporary throwback for the community renovation project."
• adjective
Evoking, imitating, or belonging to an earlier era, style, or tradition, especially in popular culture, fashion, or sports.
"The basketball team wore throwback jerseys from the 1970s for their anniversary game."
Word Nuance & Usage
The closed compound noun and adjective 'throwback' should be distinguished from the two-word phrasal verb 'throw back' (as in 'to throw back a ball' or 'to throw back a drink').
• Rhymes for throwback
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the mid-19th century as a noun compound from the phrasal verb 'throw back', originally used in animal breeding to describe an offspring reverting to ancestral traits.