Where does “irretentiveness” come from?

irretentiveness (English) comes from English irretentive, 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.

irretentiveness (English): The quality of being irretentive

Definitions

  1. The quality of being irretentive

Ancestry of “irretentiveness”, step by step

irretentiveness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English irretentive

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishirretentiveNot retentive; not apt to retain
2EnglishretentiveHaving power to retain; anal-retentive; That...
3Middle Frenchrétentif
4Old Frenchretentif
5Medieval Latinretentivus
6Latinretentusrestrained, delayed; repressed; held
7Latinretineōto keep or hold back, detain, restrain, retain, confine, contain; delay
8Latinrĕ-back, backwards
9Latinprōdūcōto lead or bring forth, forward or out
10Latinprō-forward direction, forward movement
11Proto-Italic*pro-pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
14Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
15Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

via English Ness

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishNessAn Ulster princess and the mother of Conchobar mac Nessa and Findchoem in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Daughter of Eochaid Sálbuide. Also the mother of Cormac Cond Longas by incest with Conchobar mac Nessa
2Middle Englishnesse
3Old Englishnæsnot, not at all; not; first/third-person singular...
4Proto-Germanicnasjąfoothill; headland; cape
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéh₂snose
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tósEvery word from Proto-Indo-European per-Every word from Latin rĕ-