Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump to:
  • retro
    retro
    adjective
    retroactive.
  • retro-
    retro-
    a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin meaning “backward” (retrogress ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (retrorocket ).
Synonyms

retro

1 American  
[re-troh] / ˈrɛ troʊ /

adjective

Informal.

  1. retroactive.

    retro pay.

  2. of or designating the style of an earlier time.

    retro clothes.
retro- 2 American  

  1. a prefix occurring in loanwords from Latin meaning “backward” (retrogress ); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (retrorocket ).

retro- 1 British  

prefix

  1. back or backwards

    retroactive

  2. located behind

    retrolental
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
retro 2 British  
/ ˈrɛtrəʊ /

noun

  1. short for retrorocket

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. denoting something associated with or revived from the past

    retro dressing

    retro fashion
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of retro1

By shortening

Origin of retro-2

< Latin, representing retrō (adv.), backward, back, behind

Explanation

Retro things imitate a style from the past. A retro diner might serve 1950s-style milkshakes and be decorated like a diner from that era, but the prices will be much more modern. If you like retro clothes, you probably shop online and at thrift shops, where you can find pants from the 70s and prom dresses from the 50s. Retro music is heavily influenced by past genres, like rockabilly or doo-wop. You can also use retro as a noun: "I'm really into retro when it comes to cars." The word was first used in the 1970s in French, rétro, short for rétrograde, from the Latin retrogradi, "move backward."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Retro in that it recalls the sound of pianoless midsize ensembles of the mid ’60s like the New York Contemporary 5 and several groups featuring trumpeter Chet Baker and saxophonist Gerry Mulligan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025

"Retro gaming is quite a big family affair at our house."

From BBC • Jul. 12, 2025

Kodak’s Mini 2 Retro 4PASS photo printer does just that.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

Seahawks 20, Browns 13: Retro uniforms may call for an old-school game, with two emerging defenses battling it out.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 27, 2023

Mr. Retro approaches Dad with careful steps, then hugs Dad tightly.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.