1. [adj]  of amnesia; affecting time immediately preceding trauma
2. [adj]  moving or directed or tending in a backward direction or contrary to a previous direction
3. [adj]  (astronomy) moving from east to west on the celestial sphere; or--for planets--around the sun in a direction opposite to that of the Earth
4. [adj]  going from better to worse
5. [v]  get worse; fall back to a previous or worse condition
6. [v]  go back over; "retrograde arguments"
7. [v]  move back; "The glacier retrogrades"
8. [v]  move in a direction contrary to the usual one; of stars and planets
9. [v]  move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies

RETROGRADE is a 10 letter word that starts with R.

1. \Re"tro*grade\, a. [L. retrogradus, from retrogradi,
   retrogressus, to retrograde; retro back + gradi to step: cf.
   F. r['e]trograde. See {Grade}.]
   1. (Astron.) Apparently moving backward, and contrary to the
      succession of the signs, that is, from east to west, as a
      planet. --Hutton.
   
            And if he be in the west side in that condition,
            then is he retrograde.                --Chaucer.
   
   2. Tending or moving backward; having a backward course;
      contrary; as, a retrograde motion; -- opposed to
      {progressive}. ``Progressive and not retrograde.''
      --Bacon.
   
            It is most retrograde to our desire.  --Shak.
   
   3. Declining from a better to a worse state; as, a retrograde
      people; retrograde ideas, morals, etc. --Bacon.
   
   

2. \Re"tro*grade\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Retrograded}; p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Retrograding}.] [L. retrogradare, retrogradi:
   cf. F. r['e]trograder.]
   1. To go in a retrograde direction; to move, or appear to
      move, backward, as a planet.
   
   2. Hence, to decline from a better to a worse condition, as
      in morals or intelligence.