a fashion reminiscent of the past
"She wore a retro outfit that perfectly captured the style of the 1950s."
Past fashions or trends.
"The designer incorporated retro elements like bell-bottoms and tie-dye shirts into the new collection to evoke 1970s styles."
affecting things past
"retroactive tax increase"
"an ex-post-facto law"
"retro pay"
Of, or relating to, the past, past times, or the way things were.
"The retro fashion show celebrated styles from the 1970s and 80s."
In plain English: Retro means something that is old-fashioned and from long ago but still popular now because people miss it.
"The kids loved playing with their retro toys that looked like they were from the 1980s."
Usage: Use retro when describing styles that deliberately imitate fashion from previous decades rather than simply being old-fashioned. This term often carries a positive connotation of nostalgia and revival, distinguishing it from words like antique which imply age without stylistic intent.
The word "retro" was borrowed into English from the French term rétro, which itself comes from the Latin word meaning "backward." It entered modern usage to describe anything related to past styles or trends.