Setback
/ˈsɛt.bæk/noun
A reversal or obstacle that delays progress or causes a temporary loss.
Did you know?Unlike words with ancient occult roots, setback is a transparent English compound from the verb set + back, first used in the 20th century for a reversal or delay.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
settan
“to cause to sit, place, put”
Old English
OE
bæc
“back, rear side”
Middle English
English
set back
“to move or place something backward”
19th-20th Century
English
setback
“a reversal, delay, or obstacle”