Where does “retentive” come from?
Retentive comes from Middle French rétentif, from Old French retentif, from Medieval Latin retentivus, derived from Latin retentus, the past participle of retineo meaning to hold back or retain, formed from re- and a root descended from Proto-Indo-European ten- meaning to stretch or hold.
retentive (English): Having power to retain; anal-retentive; That...
Definitions
- Having power to retain; anal-retentive; That...
Ancestry of “retentive”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | rétentif | — |
| 2 | Old French | retentif | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | retentivus | — |
| 4 | Latin | retentus | restrained, delayed; repressed; held |
| 5 | Latin | retineō | — |
| 6 | Latin | rĕ- | — |
| 7 | Latin | prōdūcō | — |
| 8 | Latin | prō- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
Words derived from “retentive”