ENGLISH
REFERENCE

throwback

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈθɹoʊˌbæk// UK //θɹˈəʊbæk// throw·back Slang Vulgar

n. something that reminds you of the past or looks like an older style. You use it when a person, song, or fashion choice feels like it belongs to an earlier time.

n. a person or thing that is similar to someone or something from the past; a reversion to an earlier type or characteristic. Often used in casual contexts to describe nostalgic media or fashion.


SIMPLE

That old leather jacket is a total throwback.

CONTEXTUAL

The band's new album is a deliberate throwback to the synth-pop sound of the 1980s.

COMPLEX

While the architecture of the new library is modern, the interior wood paneling serves as a charming throwback to the original Victorian building that once stood on the site.

Synonyms
Origin

Deverbal from throw back.

Usage

Often used as a modifier in the phrase 'throwback Thursday' or followed by the preposition 'to'.

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