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This is a list of retronyms, which are terms renamed after something similar but newer has come into being. A retronym is a type of neologism coined for an old object or concept whose original name has come to be used for something else, is no longer unique, or is otherwise inappropriate or misleading. ...

Nouns

A-B

Acoustic guitar 

Before the invention of the solid-body electric guitar, all guitars amplified the sound of a plucked string with a resonating hollow body. Similarly: acoustic piano.

AM radio

Before the introduction of broadcast FM radio, the AM broadcast band radio would have been known simply as radio, wireless (in the UK) or as medium-wave radio (still the preferred term among radio enthusiasts) to distinguish it from the (also amplitude-modulated) shortwave radio bands.

Analog synthesizer

Before synthesizers contained microchips, every stage of the internal electronic signal flow was analogous to a sound that would eventually be produced at the output stage, and this sound was shaped and altered as it passed through each filter and envelope.

Analog (or analogue) watch

Before the advent of the digital watch, all watches had faces and hands. After the advent of the digital watch, watches with faces and hands became known as analog watches.

Artistic gymnastics 

Generally known simply as gymnastics before Rhythmic gymnastics was added to the Olympic program in 1984.

Bar soap 

The common cake of soap used in the tub or shower was familiarly called "soap" or "bath soap"; the term "bar soap" arose with the advent of soaps in liquid and gel form.

Before Christ

References to dates BC are retronyms.

Biological parent or Birth parent 

Before the mid-to-late 20th century, the distinction between natural and adoptive parents was rarely drawn; one simply had parents. The advent of adoptive rights organizations, and the general loosening of strictures by adoption agencies against revealing the identity of one's birth parents, gave rise to the term "biological parent". The development of in vitro fertilisation and sperm banks further increased the need to differentiate the biological father from the father who raises the child.

Black powder 

Called "gunpowder" for centuries while it was in common use. The retronym "black powder" was coined in the late 19th century to differentiate it from the newly developed smokeless powder which superseded it.

Black-and-white television 

Once called simply television, now the retronym is used to distinguish it from color television, which is now more commonly referred to by the unadorned term. Along the same lines: broadcast television, free-to-air television, over-the-air television, silent movie. Furthermore, in the not too distant future, the term "Standard Definition Television" (or possibly "Low Definition Television") may become necessary when HDTV becomes the "normal" kind of TV.

Brick-and-mortar store, high street shop 

As increasing use of the Internet allowed online stores, accessible only through computers, to compete with established retail shops, the latter began to be called "brick-and-mortar stores" or "high street shops" to indicate that customers could (or had to) visit them to examine and purchase their goods. These two terms are also often used to describe the physical storefronts of a retail business that also sells products online. In the U.S., "brick-and-mortar" emphasizes the physical construction of these stores, as opposed to the largely electronic nature of online stores. The terms "high street shop" (UK) or "main street store" or "downtown store" (U.S.) also serve to differentiate the more traditional retail venue from big-chain "box stores" such as K-mart or Wal-Mart, which did not exist prior to the 1960s. (The name "High Street" is commonly used in the UK for a town's primary thoroughfare. In the U.S., it is more likely to be called "Main Street".)

Broadcast television 

Television programming not generated by cable providers and/or available via cable or satellite television technology. Broadcast television refers to that programming which is available without cable or satellite subscription, since it is "broadcast" over the airwaves, as all television once was. The major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX) are broadcast television concerns.

Brown Bess 

The standard British infantry arm of the 18th through early 19th century is referred to as "Brown Bess" today but during its period of use was known as "the King's Arm", "the King's Musket", or by its specific variation, such as "Land Pattern musket" ("Long Land Pattern" is a retronym for the oldest models applied when the later "Short Land Pattern" variety was developed). Although the term "Brown Bess" existed in the 18th century(for example "married to Brown Bess" to mean "in the army") the usage as a name for the firearm itself was only developed late in the era of its usage by the British Army.

George H.W. Bush

A rare example of a living person with a retronym. Until his son, George W. Bush, also became President, George Bush rarely, if ever, used his middle initials.

Acoustic guitar can refer to the following musical instruments: Nylon and gut stringed guitars: Renaissance guitar Baroque guitar Romantic guitar Classical guitar, the modern version of the original guitar, with nylon strings Flamenco guitar Steel stringed guitars: Steel-string acoustic guitar, also known as western, folk or country guitar Twelve... Two different electric guitars. ... Pianoforte redirects here. ... Mediumwave radio transmissions (sometimes called Medium frequency or MF) are those between the frequencies of 300 kHz and 3000 kHz. ... FM radio is a broadcast technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. ... For other uses, see Wireless (disambiguation). ... Mediumwave radio transmissions serves as the most common band for broadcasting. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ... A solid-state, analog shortwave receiver Shortwave radio operates between the frequencies of 3 MHz (3,000 kHz) and 30 MHz (30,000 kHz) [1] and came to be referred to as such in the early days of radio because the wavelengths associated with this frequency range were shorter than... An analog synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. ... Categories: Stub ... Pocket watch A watch is a small portable clock that displays the current time and sometimes the current day, date, month and year. ... Artistic Gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which competitors perform short routines (ranging from approximately 30 to 90 seconds) on different apparatus, obviously less for vaulting (see lists below). ... Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements requiring physical strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, gracefulness, and kinesthetic awareness, and includes such skills as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials and cartwheels. ... Rhythmic gymnasts from Greece in the 2000 Sydney Olympics Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which single competitors or pairs, trios or even more manipulate one or two apparatuses: Ball, Clubs, Hoop, Ribbon, and Rope. ... The five Olympic rings were designed in 1913, adopted in 1914 and debuted at the Games at Antwerp, 1920. ... This article is about the year. ... BC may stand for: Before Christ (see Anno Domini) : an abbreviation used to refer to a year before the beginning of the year count that starts with the supposed year of the birth of Jesus. ... Parents who physically gave birth to the child in person. ... For the Inter-Varsity Fellowship, see Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship. ... A sperm bank or cryobank is a facility that collects and stores human sperm from sperm donors, primarily for the purposes of artificial insemination. ... A modern black powder substitute for muzzleloading rifles in FFG size Gunpowder (also called black powder) is a pyrotechnic composition, an explosive mixture of sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre or saltpeter) that burns rapidly, producing volumes of hot solids and gases which can be used as... Smokeless powder Smokeless powder is the name given to a number of gunpowder-like propellants used in firearms which produce negligible smoke when fired, unlike the older black powder which it replaced. ... Black-and-white or black and white) can refer to a general term used in photography, film, and other media (see black-and-white). ... Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and/or video signals which transmit programs to an audience. ... Free-to-air is a phrase used to describe television and radio broadcasts which are available without subscription and without decryption (pay-TV). ... Terrestrial television (also known as over-the-air or OTA) is the traditional method of television broadcast signal delivery, by radio waves transmitted through open space. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... High-definition television (HDTV) means broadcast of television signals with a higher resolution than traditional formats (NTSC, SECAM, PAL) allow. ... For other uses, see Brick (disambiguation). ... Mortar holding weathered bricks. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Main Street. ... Web commerce is a form of electronic commerce that is conducted primarily through the World Wide Web, but may also utilize email and other aspects of the internet. ... A drawing of a self-service store Retailing consists of the sale of goods/merchandise for personal or household consumption either from a fixed location such as a department store or kiosk, or away from a fixed location and related subordinated services (Definition of the WTO (last page). ... Terrestrial television (also known as over-the-air or OTA) is the traditional method of television broadcast signal delivery, by radio waves. ... Short Land Service musket Brown Bess is a nickname of unknown origin for the British Armys Land Pattern Musket and its derivatives. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born June... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ...

C-G

Roman Catholicism 

Before multiple schisms, all Christianity was the same.

Classical music 

It was not referred to as such when it debuted.

Cloth diaper 

Before the second half of the 20th century, all diapers (nappies, in the UK) were made from cloth and simply called diapers. The advent of the disposable diaper gave rise to this term.

Coca-Cola Classic 

Originally called Coca-Cola, the name was changed when the original recipe was reintroduced after New Coke failed to catch on. This is an example of a retronym officially coined by a product's manufacturer.

Cold water faucet/tap 

Before the invention of the water heater, there was only the single faucet/tap at each sink.

Command & Conquer: Tiberian Dawn 

This name is sometimes used by fans of the Command & Conquer series to refer to the original game of the series, officially known simply as Command & Conquer.

Conventional oven 

Before the development of the microwave oven, this term was not used. Now it is commonly found in cooking instructions for prepared foods.

Conventional war 

Before the development of nuclear weapons, this term was not used. (War, Gwynne Dyer)

CSI: Las Vegas 

Not used before the debut of the spinoff series CSI: Miami in 2002, and CSI: NY in 2004.

Curved or curly quotes 

Straight quotes were made widespread by typewriters.

Day baseball 

Baseball played during the day, as all games were played before electric lighting in stadiums became common.

Dial-up internet (or just dial-up) 

Before broadband became widespread, it was the norm to connect to the internet via a modem over standard phone line, which meant the phone line could not be used to make calls until one logged off.

Dino oil 

Motor oil derived from crude oil, from the geological age of the dinosaurs. Known as just "motor oil" before the synthetic oils became popular.

Dirt road 

Before road paving whether by stone, brick or modern paving methods, all roads were nothing more than Dirt Paths commonly used by pedestrians, horse and by buggy.

Face-to-face conference 

A conference, not involving telephones or video cameras (similarly:IRL-meeting = in-real-life meeting).

Farmall Regular 

As explained at Farmall tractor, the name Farmall began as a model name but became a sub-brand name as additional models were developed.

Field hockey 

Known simply as "hockey" until ice hockey and roller hockey became popular. (In addition, there is a game called street hockey which evolved from roller hockey: this is hockey without skates, which is the same basic concept as the original game from which ice hockey and roller hockey evolved.). Similarly, Field soccer (Football (soccer)).

Film camera 

As opposed to digital camera.

First Gundam

A nickname, commonly used by Japanese fans of the franchise and coined shortly after the release of Zeta Gundam. Gundam 0079 is also used in the same fashion.

Forward slash 

Before the introduction of ASCII and electronic keyboards for computers, typewriters had only one type of slash ("/"), normally the un-shifted key shared with the question mark. The rise of MS-DOS brought regular use of the backslash ("") character found on computer keyboards (for specifying directory paths). Before that time the symbol "/" was known simply as a "slash". (Other typographical names for this character are virgule and solidus. In the UK, the character was traditionally known as an oblique stroke or, more simply, an oblique. To slash means to cut with a scything motion, which is analogous to the motion of the pen as the character is handwritten.)

French franc 

The currency unit of France before the euro, which was originally the only franc, but had to be distinguished from the Belgian franc, Communauté Financière Africaine franc, and Swiss franc after those countries adopted the term.

Frizzen 

This component was called the "hammer" while flintlock] firearms were in use. On percussion cap firearms which replaced flintlock the striking component was called the hammer and the term frizzen was applied to the hammer of flintlocks.

GM "old-look" transit bus 

The GM old look did not originally have a name, but in 1959, a new design was released and was called the new look. After this many people started calling the older design the Old Look.

The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... This article is about Western art music from 1000 AD to the present. ... Baby cloth diaper filled with extra cloth. ... The wave shape (known as the dynamic ribbon device) present on all Coca-Cola cans throughout the world derives from the contour of the original Coca-Cola bottles. ... New Coke was the unofficial name of the sweeter formulation introduced in 1985 by The Coca-Cola Company to replace its flagship soft drink, Coca-Cola or Coke. ... Manufacturing is the transformation of raw materials into finished goods for sale, or intermediate processes involving the production or finishing of semi-manufactures. ... Command & Conquer is the original title in Westwood Studios Command & Conquer franchise of real-time strategy video games. ... The most recent version of the series logo, which appears in Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars Command & Conquer (often abbreviated as C&C or CnC) is a series of video games, mostly of the real-time strategy style as well as a single first-person shooter game based on the... Microwave oven A microwave oven, or microwave, is a kitchen appliance employing microwave radiation primarily to cook or heat food. ... Conventional warfare means a form of warfare conducted by using conventional military weapons and battlefield tactics between two or more nation-states in open confrontation. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ... CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is a popular Alliance Atlantis/CBS police procedural television series, running since October 2000, about a team of forensic scientists. ... CSI: Miami is a spinoff of the popular CBS network series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. ... CSI: NY (working title CSI: New York) is an American police procedural television series which premiered on September 22, 2004. ... Quotation Quote can refer to: Quotation and quasi-quotation, something that is quoted Quotation mark, Quotation mark glyphs, Air quotes, Scare quotes and Quotation mark, non-English usage: punctuation marks and their usage Financial quote or sales quote, a commercial statement detailing a set of products and services to be... This article is about the sport. ... Most of the industrialized world is lit by electric lights, which are used both at night and to provide additional light during the daytime. ... This article is about the building type. ... Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road. ... The Farmall was the first general purpose tractor with narrowly spaced front wheels. ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men, women and children in many countries around the world. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Roller Hockey is a form of hockey played on a dry surface using skates with wheels. ... Road hockey or street hockey is an informal version of ice hockey (or roller hockey) played in the street, usually by children. ... Soccer redirects here. ... Photographic film a sheet of plastic (polyester, celluloid (nitrocellulose) or cellulose acetate) coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts (bonded by gelatin) with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity or resolution of the film. ... Mobile Suit Gundam ) is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. ... One-time rivals Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, new hero Kamille Bidan and the Zeta Gundam. ... Due to technical limitations, /. redirects here. ... Image:ASCII fullsvg There are 95 printable ASCII characters, numbered 32 to 126. ... Microsofts disk operating system, MS-DOS, was Microsofts implementation of DOS, which was the first popular operating system for the IBM PC, and until recently, was widely used on the PC compatible platform. ... The backslash ( ) is a typographical mark (glyph) used chiefly in computing. ... A path is the general form of a file or directory name, giving a files name and its unique location in a file system. ... A specimen of roman typefaces by William Caslon Typography is the art and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... ISO 4217 Code FRF User(s) Monaco, Andorra, France except New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna ERM Since 13 March 1979 Fixed rate since 31 December 1998 Replaced by €, non cash 1 January 1999 Replaced by €, cash 1 January 2002 € = 6. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... The countries using the CFA franc The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, or just franc in everyday conversation if no ambiguity is possible) is a currency used in 12 formerly French-ruled African countries, as well as in Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese colony) and in Equatorial Guinea (former Spanish... The frizzen is a curved plate of steel used in flintlock firearms. ... Flintlock of an 18th Century hunting rifle, with piece of flint missing. ... A firearm is a kinetic energy weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles propelled at high velocity by the gases produced by action of the rapid confined burning of a propellant. ... The percussion cap or primer was the crucial invention that enabled firearms to fire in any weather. ...

H-L

Hard cider 

In Europe and Asia, "cider" refers to fermented (alcoholic) apple juice. In the U.S., "cider" often refers to non-alcoholic spiced or carbonated apple juice. "Hard cider" specifies the alcoholic version.

Hard disk 

All disks were hard (i.e., constructed of rigid instead of flexible magnetic material) until the advent of the floppy disk.

Hard phone 

With the advent of the soft phone, physical telephones became known as hard phones.

Home movie 

To distinguish it from a cinema movie-the invention of film predates the invention of the cinema.

Hot chocolate 

In the days before the invention of sweet solid chocolate for eating, the word "chocolate" was usually used to refer to the drink; references to it in, say, Jane Austen's novels are confusing to the 21st century eye. For a while after the chocolate bar was invented it was referred to as "bar chocolate", but due to its stunning rise in popularity in the latter half of the 19th century it eventually laid claim to the basic word.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark 

Used on some promotional materials accompanying 1999 and 2003 reissues of Raiders of the Lost Ark

Inground pool 

A swimming pool where the filled high water level is flush with the ground; compared to above an "above ground pool" where the entire pool is above ground level

iPod classic 

The original iPod in its latest generation has now been officially called the iPod classic, as every other iPod model currently uses a suffix to define itself.

Landline phone service 

With the advent of cellular or mobile phone services, traditional hard-wired phone service became popularly known as landline phones. Previously, this term was generally only used by military personnel and amateur radio operators. (In the movie The Matrix a landline phone was also referred to as a "hardline".) Even though a considerable amount of landline phone traffic is transmitted via airwaves, this term comes from the physical cabling that provides the "last mile" connection between the customer premises and local phone distribution centers. Because of the communications industry's love for acronyms, landline phone service has also been called POTS--Plain Old Telephone Service. The logical complement of this acronym, "PANS" became a backronym for "Pretty Amazing New Services". In the telecommunications industry the term wireline is used for landline phone services, to distinguish them from wireless or mobile phone services. Wireline is clearly another retronym.

Latin America, Anglo-America 

Since the term America is frequently associated (however controversially) with the United States of America, Latin America provides more precise identification of the largely Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in the Americas. Likewise, the remaining, primarily English-speaking countries of the U.S.A. and Canada are sometimes referred to as Anglo-America, distinguishing them both from "America" and from North America, which includes Spanish-speaking Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and also Belize, which is English- and Spanish-speaking.

Live action 

A form of a film that consists of images consisting of predominantly actual actors and objects that exist in the actual world, as opposed to an animated film, which predominantly consists of artificial static images or objects that take advantage of the persistence of vision principle of film to give an illusion of life.

Live poker 

What casinos call the kind of poker played with cards by people sitting at a table; what many others still just call "poker"; also called a "ring game". The term became necessary to distinguish it from video poker, which is far more common in casinos today.

Luggable computer 

The first generation of computers marketed as "portable", such as the Kaypro or the Osborne series, were quite bulky and were heavier than a bowling ball. The weight was mostly due the fact they had a conventional CRT-type monitor built right in. When the first laptop computers came out, the earlier, heavier portable machines were suddenly referred to as "luggables".

For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Cider in a pint glass Cider (or cyder) is an alcoholic beverage made primarily from the juices of specially grown varieties of apples. ... For other uses, see Fermentation. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ... A glass of clear apple juice, from which pectin and starch have been removed. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Carbonated bubbles in a soda float to the surface. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ... In computing, a softphone is a software program for making telephone calls over the Internet using a general purpose computer, rather than using dedicated hardware. ... Home movie, referring to any private or amateur motion picture photographic product shot and printed in any movie film format. ... For the beverage, see Hot chocolate. ... For other uses, see Chocolate (disambiguation). ... A watercolour and pencil sketch of Jane Austen, believed to be drawn from life by her sister Cassandra (c. ... 20XX redirects here. ... Candy bar redirects here. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the film. ... For the 2003 film, see Swimming Pool (film). ... The iPod classic is the flagship iPod digital audio player designed and marketed by Apple Inc. ... iPod is a brand of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. ... A landline or main line is a telephone line which travels through a physical, land-based medium. ... Cellular redirects here. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ... This article is about the 1999 film. ... The last mile is the final leg of delivering connectivity from a communications provider to a customer. ... Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial letter or letters of words, such as NATO and XHTML, and are pronounced in a way that is distinct from the full pronunciation of what the letters stand for. ... A backronym (or bacronym) is a phrase that is constructed after the fact from a previously existing abbreviation, the abbreviation being an initialism or an acronym. ... The term wireline usually refers to a cabling technology used by operators of oil and gas wells to lower equipment into the well for the purposes of a well intervention. ... For other uses, see Wireless (disambiguation). ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ... The term Anglo-America is used to describe those parts of North America in which English is the main language. ... World map showing the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere historically considered to consist of the continents of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... North American redirects here. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Animation refers to the process in which each frame of a film or movie is produced individually, whether generated as a computer graphic, or by photographing a drawn image, or by repeatedly making small changes to a model (see claymation and stop motion), and then photographing the result. ... According to the theory of persistence of vision, the perceptual processes of the brain or the retina of the human eye retains an image for a brief moment. ... This article is about casinos for gaming. ... For the domestic fireplace tool, see fireplace poker. ... For the Russian group of artists, see Jack of Diamonds (artists). ... Video poker is a casino game based on five-card draw poker. ... The Kaypro Corporation Logo, circa 1982. ... The Osborne Computer Corporation (OCC) was founded by Adam Osborne in 1980 based on a product of not just personal computers but portable computers. ... Cathode ray tube employing electromagnetic focus and deflection Cutaway rendering of a color CRT: 1. ...

M-P

Mainframe computer 

When minicomputers (which were the size and shape of a desk or credenza) were introduced in the early 1970s, existing systems that often consisted of multiple large racks of equipment received the name "mainframe", alluding to the vertical cabinets or "frames" in which they were installed.

Manual transmission (also standard transmission) 

Automotive transmissions were all manual, of course, before the invention of the automatic transmission.

Meatspace or "meat life" 

All of physical reality, as distinguished from cyberspace.

Mechanical fuel injection 

The amount of fuel squirted into an internal combustion engine by a fuel injection system was, before integrated circuitry became applied to motor vehicle engines, originally regulated by a calibrated mechanical linkage. What made for the retronym was the more precise Electronic Fuel Injection, which employed more sensors.

Muzzleloader 

For centuries virtually all firearms were loaded from the muzzle, so there was no need for a term to distinguish this characteristic until the general adoption of breech-loading firearms in the 19th century.

Natural language 

A language, used by humans, that evolved naturally in its society. Contrast with computer programming languages or constructed languages. Often referred to as human language.

Naturally-aspirated engines 

Internal combustion engines that use vacuum and venturi effect to draw the air and fuel mixture into the cylinders, without fuel injection, turbo-charger, or supercharger.

Old Look

A type of Transit Bus, which gained this name after the introduction of the New Look bus. Both were made by GM

Old Testament

In the Jewish tradition, the Hebrew Bible is know as the Tanakh.

Optical zoom 

The advent of digital cameras (and accompanying digital zoom) necessitated this retronym, describing the "analog" method of achieving close-up using a zoom lens.

Organic farming 

Farming practiced without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and so forth.

Original Recipe Chicken 

The original type of Kentucky Fried Chicken seasoned with eleven herbs and spices, before Extra Crispy Chicken and other varieties were introduced.

Over-the-board chess (also OTB chess) 

Chess played in real time using a physical chessboard, as opposed to computer chess or correspondence chess.

Orthodox Judaism 

Before the advent of the Reform and Conservative movements, all Judaism was orthodox.

Paleoconservative 

Traditionally conservative, as opposed to neoconservative.

Paper copy, hard copy 

With the proliferation of insubstantial and indistinguishable digital document copies, physical document copies acquired this retronym. Occasionally extended to the copying devices; i.e., paper copiers. The jocular substitute dead-tree copy is sometimes used. (The synonym hardcopy predates the digital age, apparently differentiating paper copies from microfilm and other human-unreadable forms.)

Parallel ATA (PATA) 

The original ATA interface was parallel; the qualification became necessary when Serial ATA was introduced.

Plain M&M's and Milk Chocolate M&M's

Plain M&M's candies would not have been called that until 1954, when Peanut M&M's were introduced. In 2000, Plain was renamed Milk Chocolate^{[dubious – discuss]} with little explanation by Mars Inc.

Postal Mail or Snail Mail

Paper mail sent in a paper envelope using a postage stamp. This retronym has become necessary with the popularization of e-mail.

Post sedan or post coupe 

In the United States this indicates a car with a full-height B-pillar, as opposed to a pillarless (half-height B-pillar) hardtop. Generally used only in referring to classic cars from the 1950 to 1980 period because fashion and safety regulations dictate nearly all modern cars are post models.

Pre-Dreadnought battleship 

The revolution in battleship design brought about by the construction of HMS Dreadnought resulted in almost all the battleships built before her completion becoming known as "pre-Dreadnought battleships", whereas before they had simply been "battleships".

Prime lens

A camera lens with a fixed focal length (e.g. 28mm), as opposed to a zoom lens, which can cover a range of focal lengths (e.g. 28-105mm). Before the invention of zoom lenses, all camera lenses had a fixed focal length, so they were just called "lenses".

Procedural programming

Before object-oriented programming was invented in the 1980s, there was just programming.

Prop plane 

As jet aircraft became the primary people movers of the airways, the older propeller-based technology received this occasional shorthand nickname to distinguish it.

Pulse dialing 

After touch tone dialing on telephones became common, the older dialing standard became known as pulse dialing.

Push lawnmower 

With the invention of the gasoline- (Petrol or petroleum spirit outside the U.S.) and electric-powered lawnmower, the lowly manually propelled lawnmower became known as the push mower.

For other uses, see Mainframe. ... Minicomputer (colloquially, mini) is a largely obsolete term for a class of multi-user computers which make up the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems (traditionally, mainframe computers) and the smallest single-user systems (microcomputers or personal computers). ... A credenza desk is a modern desk form usually placed next to a wall, as a secondary work surface to that of another desk, such as a pedestal desk, in a typical executive office. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission (commonly abbreviated as AT) is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad... Meatspace is synonymous with the physical world and conceived as the opposite of cyberspace or virtual reality. ... For other uses, see Reality (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Virtual world be merged into this article or section. ... // Fuel injection is a system of fuel delivery for mixture with air in an internal combustion engine. ... A colorized automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... A US soldier drops a shell into the muzzle of an M224 60-mm mortar. ... In the philosophy of language, a natural language (or ordinary language) is a language that is spoken, written, or signed by humans for general-purpose communication, as distinguished from formal languages (such as computer-programming languages or the languages used in the study of formal logic, especially mathematical logic) and... A programming language is an artificial language that can be used to control the behavior of a machine, particularly a computer. ... A constructed or artificial language — known colloquially as a conlang — is a language whose phonology, grammar, and/or vocabulary have been devised by an individual or group, instead of having naturally evolved as part of a culture. ... A naturally-aspirated engine or normally-aspirated engine (NA - aspiration meaning breathing) refers to an internal combustion engine (normally petrol or diesel powered) that is neither turbocharged nor supercharged. ... Look up Vacuum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A Venturi meter is shown in a diagram, the pressure in 1 conditions is higher than 2, and the relationship between the fluid speed in 2 and 1 respectively, is the same as for pressure. ... // Fuel injection is a system of fuel delivery for mixture with air in an internal combustion engine. ... Turbocharger Cut-away A turbocharger is a device used in internal-combustion engines to increase the power output of the engine by increasing the mass of oxygen and fuel entering the engine. ... A supercharger (also known as a blower) is an air compressor used to force more air (and hence more oxygen) into the combustion chamber(s) of an internal combustion engine than can be achieved at ambient atmospheric pressure (natural aspiration). ... A 1958 General Motors TDH-4512, formerly owned by Unitrans in Davis, CA (photo taken in the early-mid 1990s) Interior of a 1958 General Motors TDH-4512, formerly owned by Unitrans in Davis, CA (photo taken in the early-mid 1990s) The GM old-look transit bus was... Transit commonly refers to: Public transport, transportation systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles Astronomical transit, when one celestial body appears to move across the face of another celestial body, as seen by an observer at some particular vantage point Navigational transit, when a navigator... Autobus redirects here. ... Image:New-look. ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is a multinational corporation headquartered in the United States and has been the worlds largest and most dominant automaker since 1931 till the second half of 2007, surpassed by Toyota; as well as the global industry sales leader for 77 years. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... This article is about the term Hebrew Bible. For the Jewish scriptures see Tanakh. ... For the musical collective, see Tanakh (band). ... A Canon Inc. ... Digital cameras are a remarkable advance in technology. ... Digital zoom is a method of zooming on a digital camera either by increasing the size of the pixels in the image or by interpolating between them. ... A Canon Inc. ... Organic farming is a form of agriculture which excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms. ... Fertilizers are chemicals given to plants with the intention of promoting growth; they are usually applied either via the soil or by foliar spraying. ... A pesticide is a substance or mixture of substances used for preventing, controlling, or lessening the damage caused by a pest. ... KFC (full name Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a division of Yum! Brands, Inc. ... This article is about the Western board game. ... 1990s Pressure-sensory Chess Computer with LCD screen The idea of creating a chess-playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century. ... Correspondence chess is chess played by various forms of long-distance correspondence, usually through a correspondence chess server, through email or by the postal system; less common methods which have been employed include fax and homing pigeon. ... Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ... Reform Judaism can refer to (1) the largest denomination of American Jews and its sibling movements in other countries, (2) a branch of Judaism in the United Kingdom, and (3) the historical predecessor of the American movement that originated in 19th-century Germany. ... This article is about Conservative (Masorti) Judaism in the United States. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The term paleoconservative (sometimes shortened to paleo or paleocon when the context is clear) refers to an American branch of conservative Old Right thought that is frequently at odds with the current of conservative thought as espoused by the Republican Party elite. ... Conservative may refer to: Conservatism, political philosophy A member of a Conservative Party Conservative extension, premise of deductive logic Conservativity theorem, mathematical proof of conservative extension Conservative Judaism britney spears Category: ... Neoconservatism describes several distinct political ideologies which are considered new forms of conservatism. ... Hard Copy was a tabloid news infotainment magazine show similar to Inside Edition and A Current Affair. ... ATA cables: 40 wire ribbon cable top, 80 wire ribbon cable bottom Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) is a standard interface for connecting storage devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside personal computers. ... ATA cables: 40 wire ribbon cable top, 80 wire ribbon cable bottom Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) is a standard interface for connecting storage devices such as hard disks and CD-ROM drives inside personal computers. ... An electrical connector is a conductive device for joining electrical circuits together. ... For other uses of SATA or Sata, see SATA (disambiguation). ... Plain M&Ms M&Ms are small, milk chocolate candy pieces popular in the United States and in many other countries around the world. ... Mars, Incorporated is a world-wide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food and other food products with US$21 billion in annual sales in 2006. ... A selection of Hong Kong postage stamps A postage stamp is evidence of pre-paying a fee for postal services. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupé (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... An SUV with four pillars A Barracuda fastback has only two pillars A stretch limo with five pillars An A pillar is a name applied by car stylists and enthusiasts to the shaft of material that supports the windshield (windscreen) on either of the windshield frame sides. ... A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. ... Ford Model A Four-door 1948 Buick Eight convertible 1959 Chevrolet Impala A yank tank or maquina in Havana, Cuba Another yank tank in Havana Classic car is a term frequently used to describe an older car, but the exact meaning is subject to serious differences in opinion. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... The sixth HMS Dreadnought of the Royal Navy was a revolutionary battleship which entered service in 1906. ... This Nikon 35mm wide-angle lens is a small, light-weight and fast prime lens with a maximum aperture of f/2 In film and photography, a prime lens is a photographic lens whose focal length is fixed, as opposed to a zoom lens, which has a variable focal length. ... Photographic lens One of Canons most popular wide angle lenses - 17-40 f/4 L The zoom lens of the Canon Elph A photographic lens (or more correctly, objective) is an optical lens or assembly of lenses used in conjunction with a camera body and mechanism to make images... This article is about focal length related to lenses and systems of lenses. ... A Canon Inc. ... This article is about the computer programming paradigm. ... Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm that uses objects and their interactions to design applications and computer programs. ... Airplane and Aeroplane redirect here. ... Jet aircraft are aircrafts with jet engines. ... For other uses, see Propeller (disambiguation). ... Pulse dialing, dial pulse, or loop disconnect dialing, also called Rotary or Decadic dialling in the United Kingdom (because up to 10 pulses are sent), and IKZ Impulskennzeichen in German, is pulsing in which a direct-current pulse train is produced by interrupting a steady signal according to a fixed... Dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF), also known as Touch Tone is used for telephone signaling over the line in the voice frequency band to the call switching center. ... Gasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture consisting mostly of hydrocarbons and enhanced with benzene or iso-octane to increase octane ratings, used as fuel in internal combustion engines. ...

R-Z

Raw milk

milk in its natural form distinguished from pasteurized milk.

Real life

used by online communities, meaning Life outside of a fictional or non-internet related environment.

Real numbers

coined after the development of the imaginary numbers.

Real tennis 

was once known simply as tennis, but came into use at the end of the 19th century to distinguish it from the game of lawn tennis patented in 1874.

Red Book audio CD 

At first, all audio CDs complied to the red book standard. Then, other implementations of the audio CD such as super audio CD, MP3 CDs and arguably DVD-Audio, and is now referred to as red book audio to differentiate between different standards.

Reel-to-reel or open reel 

Tape recorders were originally simply tape recorders, as they all used a pair of open reels to hold the magnetic recording medium. The term reel-to-reel was introduced when various forms of cassette tape formats became popular.

Regular coffee 

Once, coffee was just coffee, caffeine and all. The development of decaffeinated coffee caused this coinage.

Rotary telephone or dial telephone 

The kind of telephone in common use before touch-tone telephones.

Rugby union 

To differentiate it from its descendant, rugby league. Like hockey, the original term of rugby is still widespread.

Scalar processors 

As opposed to Vector processors.

Seventy-eight (78) rpm records 

Before the advent of 33⅓ rpm and 45 rpm vinyl records, these were known simply as records, phonograph records or gramophone records.

Silent film 

In the earliest days of the film industry, all films were without sound. Once "talkies" became the norm, it became necessary to specify that a particular film was "silent."

Sit-down restaurant 

With the rise of fast-food and take-out restaurants, the "standard" restaurant received a new name in the United States. (In the United Kingdom, fast food and takeaway (takeout) outlets are not normally referred to as "restaurants", so the "sit-down" qualifier is not necessary.)

Snail mail (also known as land mail, paper mail, p-mail) 

Non-electronic mail delivered to physical locations, like one's home or business. Before email and voice mail, all mail was physical, and much slower by comparison — thus, the "Snail" appellation.

Snow skiing

Water skiing now necessitates this differentiation. This, however, only applies to an area where both "snow" as well as "water" skiing are likely. "Snow skiing" would not be mentioned in the Alpine regions, unless large lakes offered the availability of water skiing.

Solo motorcycle 

So called instead of motorcycle when some were being built with a sidecar.

Star Trek: The Original Series

The series' actual title Star Trek is now often used to refer collectively to the original series and its multitude of spin-offs.

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 

Originally released in 1977 under the title Star Wars. The new title was applied in a 1981 re-release after the decision to make additional films, allowing Star Wars to refer to the entire series.

Static electricity 

see triboelectricity, below.

Survivor: Pulau Tiga 

Broadcast as just Survivor. When the show subsequently used other locales, the location of the first season was added to the title to distinguish it.

Terrestrial radio

As opposed to satellite radio.

Trans World Airlines

Originally meant for Transcontinental and Western Airways, the name was changed after they expanded its route network to Europe and Asia.

Transformers: Generation 1 

referring to the original Transformers toyline which ran from 1984 to 1992, and the assorted tie-in media. Then known only as "The Transformers," when the sequel series, Transformers: Generation 2 launched by Hasbro in 1993, all previous subject matter was dubbed "Generation 1" - many individuals did this independently, as it is a logical progression, and when the online fandom began growing in the 90s, the term became the definitive one for that era. The term subsequently made it into official use through toy reissues from and comic books, most notably on Japanese toy packaging.

Triboelectricity 

Electricity was so named from the Greek word for amber, because of the discovery that if it was rubbed (generating what is now called triboelectricity) it would attract objects (due to a charge of static electricity). Electric currents and other forms of generation were discovered later.

Tricorn 

When these hats were in fashion in the 18th century they were known as "cocked hats". The retronym "tricorn" was applied to them after they went out of popular fashion, differentiating them from later "bicorne" styles.

Tube amplifier 

Tube amplifiers for musical instruments were largely replaced by "transistor" (or solid state) amplifiers during the 1960s and 1970s.

Tube TV or CRT TV 

Originally, all televisions used a cathode ray tube (CRT) to produce a TV image. But with the recent popularity of newer television technologies such as LCD, plasma, or DLP, some stores now describe the sets that still use a picture tube as tube TVs or CRT TVs.

Upright bicycle

The advent of the Recumbent bicycle sometimes requires a speaker to make the distinction between that and the conventional "upright bicycle".

Viennese waltz 

The original waltz, as distinct from other styles of waltz that have since developed.

Vinyl record 

A term that arose to distinguish 33⅓- and 45-rpm phonograph records (LPs and 45s) from the compact discs (CDs) that have since replaced them for nearly all physical records and record albums.

Water-activated stamps (gummed stamps) 

The predominant kind of postage stamp before self-adhesive stamps became popular.

Whole milk 

Milk was formerly available in just one version, with the cream included, and benefitted gradually by pasteurization and homogenization. But it was still called simply milk. This variety of milk is now referred to in the U.S. and UK as whole milk (3.25% milkfat) to distinguish it from 2% (reduced fat) milk, 1% (low fat) milk, and skim milk (nearly no fat). In the UK, the terms whole milk (also full-cream milk or full-fat milk) (3.5%), semi-skimmed milk (about 1.5%) and skimmed milk (almost no fat) are commonly used.

Win16 

The original, 16-bit Windows API, as distinguished from the newer Win32 and Win64.

World War I 

Originally this was called "The Great War" and commonly believed to be "the war to end all wars". However, when a second war enveloped Europe, Asia, and much of the Pacific, it became necessary to distinguish them. Similarly, the 1991 war in the Persian Gulf, formerly called "Desert Storm" or just the "Gulf War", is now (since the 2003 invasion of Iraq) often referred to as "The First Gulf War".

Zune 30 

Used to describe the first-generation Zune device; the "30" was added after the release of the Zune 4, 8, and 80

Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized before consumption. ... A glass of cows milk. ... For other meanings of this phrase (book and album titles etc. ... This article is about life in general. ... Please refer to Real vs. ... In mathematics, an imaginary number (or purely imaginary number) is a complex number whose square is negative or zero. ... Jeu de paume in the 17th century. ... Red Book is the standard for audio CDs (Compact Disc Digital Audio system, or CDDA). ... CD re-directs here; see Cd for other meanings of CD. Image of a compact disc (pencil included for scale) A compact disc (or CD) is an optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. ... Super Audio CD (SACD) is a read-only optical audio disc format aimed at providing much higher fidelity digital audio reproduction than the Red Book audio CD. Introduced in 2000, it was developed by Sony and Philips Electronics, the same companies that created the Compact Disc. ... An MP3 CD is a term used to refer to compact discs (CD-R or CD-RW) that contain MP3 files. ... DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering very high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio includes no video and should not be confused with video DVDs containing concerts and music videos. ... A reel-to-reel tape recorder (Sony TC-630), typical of those which were once common audiophile objects. ... Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder. ... In physics, magnetism is a phenomenon by which materials exert an attractive or repulsive force on other materials. ... For the meaning of cassette in genetics, see cassette (genetics). ... The rotary dial is a device mounted on or in a telephone or switchboard that is designed to send interrupted electrical pulses, known as pulse dialing, corresponding to the number dialled. ... For other uses, see Telephone (disambiguation). ... Dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF), also known as Touch Tone® is used for telephone signaling over the line in the voice frequency band to the call switching center. ... For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... Rugby league football is a full-contact team sport played with a prolate spheroid-shaped ball by two teams of thirteen on a rectangular grass field. ... Scalar processors represent the simplest class of computer processors. ... A vector processor, or array processor, is a CPU design that is able to run mathematical operations on a large number of data elements very quickly. ... A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... A sit-down restaurant is simply a restaurant that caters to customers who plan to sit down and be served by waitstaff. ... For specific discussion of Western fast food chains, see fast food restaurant. ... Take-out, carry-out ( in American English ) or take-away ( in British English ) is food purchased at a restaurant but eaten elsewhere. ... For other uses, see Restaurant (disambiguation). ... Snail mail is a derogatory retronym (named after the snail with its proverbially slow speed) used to refer to letters and missives carried by conventional postal delivery services, and refers to the inevitable lag-time between dispatch of a letter and its receipt relative to the virtually instantaneous despatch and... Electronic mail, abbreviated e-mail or email, is a method of composing, sending, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. ... E-mail, or email, is short for electronic mail and is a method of composing, sending, and receiving messages over electronic communication systems. ... Voicemail (or voice mail; abbreviated v-mail or vmail) is a specific application of an interactive voice response system. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... BMW R51/3 motorcycle with sidecar Ural Retro with sidecar Vespa scooter with sidecar This article concerns sidecar as an attachment to a motocycle. ... The starship Enterprise as it appeared on Star Trek Star Trek is a culturally significant science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s. ... This article is about the entire Star Trek franchise. ... A spin-off in television is a new series which contains either characters or theme elements from an old series. ... This movie poster for Star Wars depicts many of the films important elements, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters Star Wars, retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981 (see note at Title,) is the original (and in chronological... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... AUGUST 25 1981 US Marine Sean Vance is Born on the 25th of August {ear nav|1981}} Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the series. ... Static electricity is a class of phenomena involving the net charge present on an object; typically referring to charged object with voltages of sufficient magnitude to produce visible attraction, repulsion, and sparks. ... Survivor: Pulau Tiga was the first installment of the popular United States reality show Survivor. ... Terrestrial radio is a term which encompasses the AM and FM ground-based radio technologies, the term was coined around Howard Sterns move to Sirius Satellite Radio. ... Trans World Airlines (IATA: TW, ICAO: TWA, and Callsign: TWA), commonly known as TWA, was an American airline company that was acquired by American Airlines in April 2001. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Various Transformers toys. ... Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is an American toy and game company. ... The triboelectric effect is an electrical phenomenon where certain materials become electrically charged after coming into contact with another, different, material. ... Electricity (from New Latin Ä“lectricus, amberlike) is a general term for a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. ... For other uses, see Amber (disambiguation). ... Tricorn can refer to: The Tricorn Centre, considered one of the ugliest buildings in the United Kingdom Tricorne, a type of headgear. ... Napoléon Bonaparte in his trademark bicorne hat The Bicorne hat is an archaic form of headgear associated with the late 18th and early 19th centuries. ... A valve amplifier (British English), also known as a tube amplifier or vacuum tube amplifier (in American English), is a device for electrically increasing the power of an electrical signal, typically sound. ... Assorted discrete transistors A transistor is a semiconductor device, commonly used as an amplifier or an electrically controlled switch. ... In physics, the solid state is one of the three phases of matter (solid, liquid, and gas). ... TV redirects here. ... Cathode ray tube employing electromagnetic focus and deflection Cutaway rendering of a color CRT: 1. ... This article is about Digital Light Processing. ... An upright bicycle is a bicycle on which the rider sits astride the saddle and stands on the pedals; this is the type most commonly seen. ... Tandem recumbent bicycle manufactured by BikeE A recumbent bicycle is a variety of bicycle which places the rider in a seated or supine position (rarely, in a prone position). ... Viennese Waltz (German: Wiener Walzer ) is the name of a ballroom dance. ... For other uses, see Waltz (disambiguation). ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... CD redirects here. ... An album or record album is a collection of related audio or music tracks distributed to the public. ... Self-adhesive stamps were first issued in such tropical climates as Sierra Leone and Tonga in an attempt to avoid the sticking-together tendencies traditional water-activated stamps had in humid conditions. ... A glass of cows milk Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. ... Pasteurization (or pasteurisation) is the process of heating liquids for the purpose of destroying viruses and harmful organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, molds, and yeasts. ... Homogenization (or homogenisation) is a term used in many fields such as Chemistry, agricultural science, food technology, sociology and cell biology. ... The Windows API, informally WinAPI, is the name given by Microsoft to the core set of application programming interfaces (APIs) available in the Microsoft Windows operating systems. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Pacific redirects here. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... See also: 2003 invasion of Iraq and Gulf War (disambiguation) C Company, 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment, 1st UK Armoured Division The Persian Gulf War was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of 34 nations led by the United States. ... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The Zune 30 is the first Zune music player from Microsoft. ... The Zune 4 and Zune 8 are new models of the Zune lineup announced October 2, 2007 and will be released November 2007. ... The Zune 80 is the largest digital media player produced and marketed by Microsoft. ...

Geographic retronyms

Asia Minor 

The name Asia was first applied to the mainland east of the Aegean islands, and later extended to the greater landmass of which that is a peninsula.

Baja California 

The name California was first applied to the peninsula (thought to be an island), and later extended – and then restricted – to Alta California. (The Spanish "Alta" and "Baja" correspond in this case to English "Upper" and "Lower".)

East Indies 

After Columbus landed in the West Indies.

East Prussia 

Prussia began as a duchy in Poland. As the highest-ranking dignity of the Hohenzollern dynasty, the name came to be applied to their territories stretching across Germany.

Great Britain 

Britons fleeing the Germanic invasions settled in Armorica which became Brittany or Little Britannia.

Lower Saxony 

The kingdom and duchies of Saxony are outside the original lowland territory of the Saxon people.

Manhattan Chinatown 

For a long time New York City had only one Chinatown. However, there are now large Asian communities in Sunset Park, Brooklyn and Flushing, and therefore a need has developed to differentiate between the city's three Chinatowns.

Old Chinatown 

London's original Chinatown (destroyed in The Blitz) was in Limehouse; the new Chinatown is in Soho.

Washington, D.C. 

was simply Washington or Washington City until the northern part of the Oregon Territory became Washington Territory.

Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... Aegean Sea Islands: map showing island groups. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Location within Mexico Municipalities of Baja California Country Capital Municipalities 5 Largest City Tijuana Government  - Governor José Guadalupe Osuna Millán (PAN)  - Federal Deputies PAN: 8  - Federal Senators Alejandro González (PAN) Rafael Díaz (PAN) Fernando Castro (PRI) Area Ranked 12th  - Total 69,921 km² (26,996. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Indies, on the display globe of the Field Museum, Chicago The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term used to describe lands of South and South-East Asia, occupying all of the former British India, the present Indian Union, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... The Caribbean or the West Indies is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... The House of Hohenzollern is a German dynasty of electors, kings, and emperors of Prussia, Germany, and Romania. ... This article is about the modern people. ... Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. ... This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic nations. ... With an area of 47,618 km and nearly eight million inhabitants, Lower Saxony (German Niedersachsen) lies in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the countrys sixteen Bundesl nder (federal states). ... Saxony may refer to several German states along the Elbe river: Old Saxony on the lower Elbe, the origin of the Saxon and Anglo-Saxon people, also known as the Duchy of Saxony The present federal state of Lower Saxony The present federal state of Saxony-Anhalt upstream from Lower... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A Chinese lion helps usher in the 2006 Chinese New Year. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... , Limehouse Town Hall Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. ... Chinatown is highly decorated for special occasions, here for Chinese New Year 2004. ... Cast-iron architecture in Greene Street SoHo is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ... Seal of the Oregon Territory. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Washington history | U.S. historical regions and territories ...

Retronymic adjectives

Analog/analogue 

Describes non-digital devices: analog clock, analog recording.

Conventional, classic, or traditional 

Describes devices or methods that have been largely replaced or significantly supplemented by new ones. For example, conventional (non-microwave) oven, or conventional weapon (one which does not incorporate chemical, biological or nuclear payloads).

I, Senior, the Elder 

When a dynastic ruler has or adopts a name identical to that of a predecessor, the original is often retroactively given the Roman numeral I. For example, William I of Orange was called William during his lifetime. Names (typically of males) may also follow this convention, or the father may be given the suffix Senior (Sr.), with Junior (Jr.) for the son; Roman numerals would be used if the name is repeated again.

I or 1, also part 1, version 1, etc. 

Also sometimes used to refer to the first incarnation of a movie, video game, etc. after sequels have been created, although such works are seldom renamed in this way officially. When Sony released the PlayStation 2, a redesigned version of the original PlayStation was also released under the name PSOne.

Old 

Naturally used when there is officially a "new" version of anything, to refer to the previous version. For example, when British money was decimalised and the new penny of 1/100 pound was adopted, the previous penny of 1/240 pound became known as the old penny.

Offline 

Computer users will sometimes agree to meet offline, i.e. in person as opposed to online in an internet-based chat room or other such means of electronic communication. Before the internet became widely used, this was of course the only way to "meet" someone and the term to meet offline was unheard of.

Regular (or plain) 

Used to refer to an original product after line-extensions are released. For example, one could formerly just ask for a Pepsi. But with the advent of multiple line-extensions like Diet Pepsi or Pepsi Twist, one might ask for a regular Pepsi when one wants the original drink. Similarly, regular Oreo cookies were called that after Double Stuf Oreos and other varieties were released. Another example is in the United States Regular Gasoline (Petrol or Petroleum spirit outside the U.S.) has now come to mean 87 Octane -rated Unleaded (ratings in other countries vary). In the United States almost all Gasoline had tetraethyl lead additive and was sold as either Regular Gasoline (Octane rating of 89) as well as High Test (Octane ratings of 91 or higher until phased out in the late 1970's when all new cars made since 1975 had catalytic converters.

Roman Catholic 

The qualification Roman is vaguely self-contradictory, because the essential meaning of the word catholic is universal. However, schisms over the centuries have divided the original Christian church into many churches and sects, including multiple "Catholic" ones; therefore "Roman" was added to specify the church headquartered at Vatican City.

Video 

Not itself a retronym, but in need of some. In the UK a "video" is a VCR or a VHS tape and "to video" is to record a television programme. Nowadays, video (ie audio-visual) recordings are commonly/increasingly made on hard disks or DVDs, rather than tapes. One logical development that is slowly growing is to specify analog video versus digital video. (All VCRs make use of digital technology; but a distinction can be drawn between whether the video content is encoded as analog data or digital data (0s and 1s).

Wired and Wireless 

Wired or hardwired refer to products such as telephones, headphones, speakers, computer accessories, etc, which are now available in wireless versions. Wireless telegraphy and wireless telephony were some of the first applications of radio technology, way back in the 1910s and 1920s; "wireless" as a noun today is sometimes simply a synonym for "mobile phone service"/"cell phone service".