retro

retro — adjective

1. made to look like a style from earlier decades — for example, clothing, music, o

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

made to look like a style from earlier decades — for example, clothing, music, or furniture that copies designs people liked twenty to forty years ago, usually in a fun or fashionable way.

Example

Kasia bought a retro dress with big polka dots and a wide belt.

collocation: retro dress / retro style

The diner had a retro look with red vinyl seats and a jukebox in the corner.

collocation: retro look / retro feel

Common collocations
  • retro style
  • retro look
  • retro feel
  • retro fashion
  • retro design
  • retro decor
  • retro music
  • retro clothing
  • retro vibe
Synonyms
  • vintage

    vintage usually describes something genuinely old and of high quality, not a modern copy of an old style

  • old-fashioned

    broader in meaning; can describe anything that belongs to an earlier time, not necessarily stylish or cool

  • nostalgic

    focuses on the emotional feeling of missing the past, rather than on the visual style itself

Antonyms
  • modern

    relating to current or present-day styles rather than past ones

  • contemporary

    belonging to or occurring in the present, not imitating past styles

Usage Note

Commonly describes items from the 1950s to 1990s. Unlike 'vintage,' which implies the item is genuinely old, 'retro' can describe a new item that simply copies an old style.

Common Mistakes

That table is retro from the 1800s.
That table is antique from the 1800s.
'retro' refers to styles from the recent past (usually 1950s onward), not centuries-old items.
I love retro.' (as a noun)
I love retro style.' or 'I love retro fashion.
'retro' is an adjective; use it before a noun.

retro — prefix

Word family

  • retrospect
    nounB2
  • retrospective
    adjectiveB2
  • retrospectively
    adverbC1
  • retroactive
    adjectiveC1
  • retroactively
    adverbC1
  • retrograde
    adjectiveC1
  • retrofit
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Retro, vintage, nostalgic, old-fashioned, and classic all connect to the past, but their meanings differ in important ways. Retro specifically describes new items that deliberately imitate a past style — a retro dress may be brand new but look like the 1960s. Vintage refers to something genuinely old and often high-quality, like a vintage car from the 1950s. Nostalgic focuses on the emotional feeling of missing the past — a song can make you feel nostalgic even if it does not sound old-fashioned. Old-fashioned is the broadest term and can imply something is simply outdated or no longer current, without the cool or playful tone that retro often carries. Classic describes something that has lasting, timeless appeal and never really goes out of style, such as a classic white shirt. For example: 'She wore a retro outfit to the 1980s-themed party' (deliberately styled to imitate the 1980s) vs 'She wore a vintage dress from her grandmother' (genuinely old).

vintage ↗nostalgic ↗old-fashioned ↗classic ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • retro style
  • retro fashion
  • retro design
  • retro decor
  • retro music
  • retro clothing

Phrases

  • in retrospect
  • retro feel
  • retro look
  • retro vibe

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Retro comes directly from Latin 'retro,' meaning 'backwards' or 'behind.' In Latin it was used as a prefix in words like 'retrogradus' (going backwards) and 'retrospectare' (to look back), which later entered English through French and Latin borrowing. From the 1960s onward, 'retro' began appearing as a standalone adjective in fashion and popular culture, describing styles that deliberately looked back to earlier decades. The prefix sense (as in retrospect, retroactive) has been in English since the 1500s.