retrotort

English

Etymology 1

Verb

retrotort (third-person singular simple present retrotorts, present participle retrotorting, simple past and past participle retrotorted)

1. (intransitive) To undergo retrotorsion.
2. (transitive, rare, formal) To twist backward.
   • 1861, Thomas De Quincey, Writings, volume 3, page 250:

     But Greek and Latin are quite unequal, when disjoined from the elder wheels in our etymological system, to the working of the total machinery of the English language. Mr. Landor proceeds upon no fixed principles in his changes. Sometimes it is on the principle of internal analogy within itself, that he would distort or retrotort the language; sometimes on the principle of external analogy with its roots; sometimes on the principle of euphony, or of metrical convenience.

Etymology 2

Blend of retro- +‎ retort, coined by Bernard Cooper.

Noun

retrotort (plural retrotorts)

1. (neologism) A witty remark that one thinks of when it is too late.

Translations

witty remark that one thinks of when it is too late

See also

• afterwit
• l'esprit de l'escalier
• staircase wit