Added 4 October 2026
retain
/ɹɪˈteɪn/ verb
In Latin: habeo, teneo Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about retain at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back. Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.
water retained by a dam
- Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
- To hold back (a pupil) instead of allowing them to advance to the next class or year; to keep back.
noun
- An act of holding or keeping something; a possession, a retention.
- Synonym of retinue (“a group of attendants or servants, especially of someone considered important”).
Origin
From Late Middle English reteinen, retein (“to continue to keep, retain; to continue to possess; to possess; to contain; to draw back, retire; to hold back, restrain; to keep in mind, remember; to take back, repossess; to appoint; to engage in one’s service, employ, hire”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman reteiner, retenir [and other forms], Middle French retenir, and Old French retenir (“to keep back, retain; to keep, maintain, preserve; to possess; to engage in one’s service, employ; to detain; to hold back, restrain; to remember”) (modern French retenir), from Vulgar Latin *retinīre, from Latin retinēre, the present active infinitive of retineō (“to keep or hold back, detain, retain; .
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)