# retcon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɹɛtˌkɒn/

## Definitions
1. A fictional setting in which a new storyline explains or changes a previous event or attaches a new significance to it.

## 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.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/retcon