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 2025 Bambi Awards in Munich, on Thursday night set the stage for stars like Cate Blanchett, Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, Cher and more to style designer looks from recent and retro runways alike. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025

This retro dessert will fool everyone at Thanksgiving. —Jenavieve Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2025

This week, the retro-minded 15-track set gets an eight-track bonus disc on the set’s official deluxe edition. —Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2025

At the Fairmont Tremblant, Choux Gras Brasserie Culinaire serves up sophisticated, contemporary French cuisine and drinks with a new retro vibe. —Stephanie Stephens, USA Today, 13 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")