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

Many birthdays ago, a friend gifted me a retro fondue pot. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 11 Dec. 2025

Others speculated that an official retro release is forthcoming, which would explain the discrepancies. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Dec. 2025

This screen-free digital camera is simple, retro, and just plain fun. —Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 10 Dec. 2025

Upstairs, Melissa and I played Pac-Man at Attic at The Club, a fun interactive space filled with retro video games, pool, darts, foosball, and more. —Susan Barnes, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 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")