retain

Where does the word "retain" come from? It comes from Latin retinere, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Retain’s story begins in Latin: retinere meant “to hold back, to keep.” To hold back, to keep, from re- (back) and tenere (to hold). It reached English by 1300s as retain. Settled as the English word for continuing to hold or keep something. Today, retain means to continue to hold, keep, or remember something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient retinere "to hold back, to keep", to hold back, to keep, from re- (back) and tenere (to hold).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s retain "to continue to hold or keep something", settled as the English word for continuing to hold or keep something.