The retype operator :: allows you to override the data type of an operand, providing the operand with a new type.

Syntax

expression :: type

The expression is evaluated and given the type, replacing whatever type (if any) the expression had.

Example
wordvar   DW    2

          LDB   wordvar::BYTE

In this example, wordvar has the type WORD because it is defined using DW. The load, however, loads only a single byte because wordvar is retyped as a BYTE. Because retyping does not alter the value of the expression, it only alters its type, the load will read from the lowest address of wordvar.