Where does “retinue” come from?
Retinue comes from Middle English retenue, from Old French retenue, the noun form of Old French retenir, from Vulgar Latin retenire, from Latin retinere, meaning to hold back or retain.
retinue (English): A group of servants or attendants, especially of...
Definitions
- A group of servants or attendants, especially of...
Ancestry of “retinue”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | retenue | A small group or company of hirelings or people,... |
| 2 | Old French | retenue | — |
| 3 | Old French | retenir | to keep; to retain |
| 4 | Latin | retinīre | — |
| 5 | Latin | retinēre | — |
| 6 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 7 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 8 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 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 |