Retcon
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A fictional setting in which a new storyline explains or changes a previous event or attaches a new significance to it.
"TLC: What do you say to the Legion fans who have become disenfranchised with the series due to its various retcons and reboots?"
- 1 To employ such a device.
"While ‘retconning' the scripts, I came up with a number of theories that throw new light on the Doctor, his past, and various other elements[…]"
Example
More examples"TLC: What do you say to the Legion fans who have become disenfranchised with the series due to its various retcons and reboots?"
Etymology
A blend of retroactive + continuity. The term retroactive continuity was popularized by comics writer Roy Thomas, who was known for writing superhero comic books set decades in the past such as All-Star Squadron, and attributes it to an anonymous source.
Related phrases
More for "retcon"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.