retro

1 of 2

adjective

ret·​ro ˈre-(ˌ)trō 

: relating to, reviving, or being the styles and especially the fashions of the past : fashionably nostalgic or old-fashioned

a retro look

retro noun

retro-

2 of 2

prefix

1

: backward : back

retro-rocket

2

: situated behind

retroperitoneal

Synonyms of retro

Adjective

• vintage
• antique

Examples of retro in a Sentence

Adjective

the retro look in fashion

retro fashions that seek to capture the lost glamour of Hollywood in the 1930s

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The close-up video reveals a magically retro, ready-for-a-getaway manicure. —Marci Robin, Allure, 18 Nov. 2025

Experts say that walking backwards, also called retro walking, can impart some major benefits. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 18 Nov. 2025

The image of retro cookbooks and gloriously frosted cakes looks good enough to eat and tricky enough to keep even diehard puzzlers entertained for hours. —Melissa Locker, Time, 17 Nov. 2025

Grande embraced her inner Glinda with a retro, one-shoulder pink gown from Christian Dior’s fall 2007 ready-to-wear collection. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French rétro, short for rétrospectif retrospective

Prefix

Latin, from retro, from re- + -tro (as in intro within) — more at intro-

First Known Use

Adjective

1972, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing retro

• retro-rocket

Rhymes for retro

• nonmetro

Kids Definition

retro

1 of 2 adjective

ret·​ro ˈret-rō 

: relating to, reviving, or being the styles and especially the fashions of the past

retro-

2 of 2 prefix

: backward : back

retro-rocket

Etymology

Prefix

derived from Latin re- "back, again" and Latin -tro (the final part of intro "within")