Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “retentivity” come from?

retentivity (English) comes from English retentive, from Middle French rétentif, from Old French retentif, from Medieval Latin retentivus, from Latin retentus, from Latin retineō, from Latin rĕ-, from Latin prōdūcō — passed , crossed.

retentivity (English): the ability to retain, potential for retention;...

Definitions

  1. the ability to retain, potential for retention;...

Ancestry of “retentivity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishretentiveHaving power to retain; anal-retentive; That...
2Middle Frenchrétentif—
3Old Frenchretentif—
4Medieval Latinretentivus—
5Latinretentusrestrained, delayed; repressed; held
6Latinretineō—
7Latinrĕ-—
8Latinprōdūcō—
9Latinprō-—
10Proto-Italic*pro-—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
13Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
14Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →