Friday, November 6, 2020

Neologism: Retrochromaticize or Rechrome

 To retrochromaticize is to color events of the past with the sentiments of the present. In casual conversation, rechrome is an acceptable substitute.

As an example, if you had enjoyable times with a person, then experienced a falling out and looked back on all the good as now bad, you would be retrochromaticizing the relationship.

The brain is good at diminishing the intensity of pain memories, e.g. childbirth. This is an example of retrochromaticization, or rechroming, where perhaps the body's innate desire to reproduce rechromes the pain memory associated with prior reproduction.

I know this combines a Latin and a Greek root, but I tried both retrocolorize and anachromaticize, and neither of those had the same bite.