Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

retain

/ɹəˈteɪn/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.16 in modern English

Syllables
re-tain
IPA
/ɹəˈteɪn/
6
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.

Transitive verb

verb

Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.

Transitive verb

verb

Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.

Transitive verb

verb

Of a thing: to hold or keep (something) inside it; to contain.

Transitive verb

verb

To hold (something) secure; to prevent (something) from becoming detached or separated.

Transitive verb

verb

To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.

Transitive verb

verb

To keep (something) in control or possession; to continue having (something); to keep back.

Transitive verb

verb

To keep (something) in place or use, instead of removing or abolishing it; to preserve.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

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; to hold in check, stop; to hold fast, maintain; to keep in mind, remember”) (compare Late Latin retineō (“to keep engaged in one’s service”)), from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + teneō (“to grasp, hold; to hold fast, restrain; to possess; to keep in mind, remember”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to extend, stretch”)). Etymology 1 sense 1.10 (“to declare (a sin) not forgiven”) is derived from John 20:23 in the Bible, in Late Latin quorum retinueritis, retenta sunt, and in Koine Greek ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται: see the 1526 quotation. Cognates * Catalan retenir * Italian retenere (obsolete), ritenere * Portuguese reter * Spanish retener

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *wert-, reteinen, reteiner, retenir, *retino, retinēre

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ɹəˈteɪn/
  • British English: /ɹɪˈteɪn/

Usage

Inflected Forms

retains (present, singular) retaining (participle, present) retained (participle, past) retained (past) no-table-tags (table tags) glossary (inflection template) retained (first person, past) retainest (archaic, present) retained (past, second person) retainedst (archaic, past) retaineth (archaic, present) retained (past, singular)

Derived Forms

immunoretained retainability retainable retainage retainal retained retainer retainership retaining unretained

Phrases

retain and explain

Frequently Paired Words

abstain contain maintain obtain retainder retainment retent retentate

Synonyms

retainal retaining retainment retinue hold keep back hold back continue keep keep on

Antonyms

remit

Rhymes With

main pain campaign train brain explain remain gain plane rain chain maintain

Questions

How do you pronounce retain?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɹəˈteɪn/.
What does retain mean?
Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop.
Where does retain come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce retain

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “retain”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɹəˈteɪn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “retain”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “retain” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.