Where does “anal retentive” come from?
anal retentive (English) comes from English anal-retentive, from English retentive, from Middle French rétentif, from Old French retentif, from Medieval Latin retentivus, from Latin retentus, from Latin retineō, from Latin rĕ- — passed , crossed.
anal retentive (English): Alternative spelling of anal-retentive
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of anal-retentive
Ancestry of “anal retentive”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | anal-retentive | Preoccupied with achieving perfection, order and... |
| 2 | English | retentive | Having power to retain; anal-retentive; That... |
| 3 | Middle French | rétentif | — |
| 4 | Old French | retentif | — |
| 5 | Medieval Latin | retentivus | — |
| 6 | Latin | retentus | restrained, delayed; repressed; held |
| 7 | Latin | retineō | to keep or hold back, detain, restrain, retain, confine, contain; delay |
| 8 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 9 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 10 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |