Etymology

retentive

R1E1T1E1N1T1I1V4E1

Today it means: Having power to retain. Full definition →

Middle French rétentif ← Old French retentif ← Medieval Latin retentivus
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromretentus
  2. Medieval Latin · derived fromretentivus
  3. Old French · derived fromretentif
  4. Middle French · borrowed fromrétentif
  5. English todayretentive

Borrowed from Middle French rétentif, from Old French retentif, from Medieval Latin retentivus, from Latin retentus.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.