retrieve
/ɹəˈtɹiv/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.69 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To fetch or carry back something, especially (computing) a file or data record.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "to retrieve one's character or independence; to retrieve a thrown ball"
- "With late repentance now they would retrieve / The bodies they forsook, and wish to live."
- "to retrieve them from their cold, trivial conceits"
- "The cook doesn't care what's shot, only what's actually retrieved."
- "Dog breeds called 'retrievers' were selected for retrieving."
- "Most dogs love retrieving, regardless of what object is thrown."
Etymology
Recorded in Middle English c. 1410 as retreve (altered to retrive in the 16th century; modern form is from c. 1650), from Middle French retruev-, stem of Old French retrover (“to find again”, modern retrouver), itself from re- (“again”) + trover (“to find”), probably from Vulgar Latin *tropāre (“to compose”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *trep-, -, retrover, *tropō
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɹəˈtɹiv/
- British English: /ɹɪˈtɹiːv/