Rollback
/ˈroʊlˌbæk/noun
A reversal of a previous action, policy, or state.
Did you know?The word is a transparent compound of native English roots, but its modern power comes from computing and politics, where a rollback can literally restore a system to an earlier state as if the present never happened.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
rollian
“to turn over and over; to revolve”
Old English
OE
bæc
“the back; the rear side”
Middle English
ME
rollen backe
“to turn or move backward; to reverse direction”
19th Century
English
rollback
“the act of rolling back; a return to a previous condition”
20th Century
English
rollback
“a reversal of policy, prices, or a computer system to an earlier state”