regression

re·gres·sion

noun \ri-ˈgre-shən\

Definition of REGRESSION

1

: the act or an instance of regressing

2

: a trend or shift toward a lower or less perfect state: as a : progressive decline of a manifestation of disease b (1) : gradual loss of differentiation and function by a body part especially as a physiological change accompanying aging (2) : gradual loss of memories and acquired skills c : reversion to an earlier mental or behavioral level d : a functional relationship between two or more correlated variables that is often empirically determined from data and is used especially to predict values of one variable when given values of the others <the regression of y on x is linear>; specifically : a function that yields the mean value of a random variable under the condition that one or more independent variables have specified values

3

: retrograde motion

Examples of REGRESSION

1. <the regression to really childish behavior that boys often undergo when put in large groups>

First Known Use of REGRESSION

1597

Related to REGRESSION

Synonyms: retrogression, reversion

Antonyms: advancement, development, evolution, progression

Related Words: backslide, lapse, relapse; atavism, return; nondevelopment; decline, degeneration

Near Antonyms: gestation, growth, maturation, ripening

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Other Psychology Terms

fetish, hypochondria, intelligence, mania, narcissism, neurosis, pathological, psychosis, schadenfreude, subliminal

Rhymes with REGRESSION

accession, aggression, bull session, compression, concession, confession, depression, digression, discretion, egression, expression, impression, ingression, jam session, obsession, oppression, precession, procession, profession, progression, recession, refreshen, repression, secession, skull session, succession, suppression, transgression