Etymologically
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retineo

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈtɪ.ne.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈtiː.ne.o][1]

Forms

retineō (present infinitive retinēre, perfect active retinuī, supine retentum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and teneō “to hold”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, as his quotiēns forās īre volō, mē retinēs “whenever I want to go out, you hold me back”.[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to hold fast, detain, confine, and to impound things, as in Plautus, and in Terence of circumstances to keep someone in a place.[2][4] In Cicero it meant to check, hold back, and in Plautus to restrain from a course.[2] It meant to keep hold of, and in Lucretius and Celsus to retain fluid or food, and in Ovid to hold back tears.[2] From Plautus it meant to keep possession, in Cicero to keep power, loyalty, a position and a view, to keep using or having, to observe a custom, and memoriā retinēre to remember.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to restrain, hold back, retain.[6] It survives in Italian ritenere and French retenir, and Old French retenir gave English retain in the late 14th century.[1][3] Wiktionary also lists English rein among its descendants.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of holding back.[2][5]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of detaining.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of retaining power and memory.[2][5]
  • late 14th century – English retain is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hold fast, detain; to impound.[2]
  2. To keep in a place; to hold (attention); to delay.[2]
  3. To hold back, check; to restrain.[2]
  4. To keep hold of.[2]
  5. To retain (fluid, food); to hold back (tears).[2]
  6. To keep within.[2]
  7. To keep possession of, retain.[2]
  8. To hold (a position); to maintain (a view).[2]
  9. To keep up, observe (a custom).[2]
  10. memoriā retinēre, to remember.[2]

Word family

  • retentiō
  • retentō
  • retentor
  • retentorius
  • retentus
  • retināculum
  • retināx
  • retinentia
  • retina
  • retinēns

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson