Etymology of the English word retain
the English word
retainderived from the Old French word
retenirderived from the Latin word
retinere (hold back, restrain; uphold)
using the Latin prefix
re-derived from the Medieval Latin word
tenere (hold, keep; comprehend; represent; support)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*ten-Date
The earliest known usage of retain in English dates from the 14th century.
Derivations in English
retainer,
retained,
retainingCognates
French
retenir, Italian
ritenere, Portuguese
reter, Provençal
retener, Spanish
retenerUsage
Word found in Modern English
