retro

1 of 2

adjective

ret·​ro ˈre-(ˌ)trō How to pronounce retro (audio)
Synonyms of retro
: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The Grammy-winning R&B singer, 39, glowed in an all-white ERL suit, which combined a puffy, floor-length jacket with a retro-style shirt and enlarged bow tie. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 4 May 2026 Like des Esseintes’s inclination toward the antiquated, Carly’s taste for vintage kitsch runs retro-romantic. Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026 Housed in the sleek, minimalist 40 mm case of its award-winning Streamliner, the piece pairs genuine mechanical ingenuity with a retro refit of one of sneaker culture’s most recognizable innovations. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 2 May 2026 Shift Dress Tuckernuck’s Jackie Dress is a tweed shift with a neckline and silhouette that feel genuinely timeless rather than merely retro. Amanda Eyre Ward, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for retro

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of retro was in 1972

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retro.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retro. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

retro

1 of 2 adjective
ret·​ro ˈret-rō How to pronounce retro (audio)
: 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")

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