Standard Lemma guide

recto

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • US: /ˈɹɛk.toʊ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The front side of a flat object which is to be examined visually, as for reading, such as a sheet, leaf, coin or medal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: front

Antonyms: verso, flipside

2

noun

Meaning 2

The front side of a flat object which is to be examined visually, as for reading, such as a sheet, leaf, coin or medal.

The right-hand page of a book of a script which reads from left to right, usually having an odd page number.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: front

Antonyms: verso, flipside, reverso

3

noun

Meaning 3

A writ of right.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

right-hand page

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: verso

Broader terms: page

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin rēctō foliō (“on the right leaf, on the right page”), the ablative case of the Latin rēctus (“right”). Compare versus (“turned”).

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: líc — The front side of a flat object
  • French: recto — The front side of a flat object
  • Spanish: anverso — The front side of a flat object
  • Bulgarian: дясна страница (djasna stranica) — The right-hand page of a book
  • French: recto — The right-hand page of a book
  • Greek: δεξιά σελίδα (dexiá selída) — The right-hand page of a book
  • Ido: averso — The right-hand page of a book
  • Russian: правая страни́ца (pravaja straníca) — The right-hand page of a book
  • Russian: лицевая сторона́ (licevaja storoná) — The right-hand page of a book
  • Ukrainian: лицьова сторона (lycjova storona) — The right-hand page of a book