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retraho

Etymology and origin of the Latin word retraho

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (trahō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈrɛ.tra.(ɦ)oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛː.tra.o][1]

Forms

retrahō (present infinitive retrahere, perfect active retrāxī, supine retractum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and trahō “to drag, draw”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of dragging someone back.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to drag or pull backwards; to bring back, compel to return, as in Plautus and Cicero's Hannibalem in Āfricam retrahere; to win back, as in Suetonius; to draw back out of the way, withdraw, as in Cicero; to hold back from an activity, restrain, as in Terence; and in Seneca to draw in, reduce.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to withdraw, restrain.[6] It survives in Italian ritrarre and French retraire.[1] The participle of Old French retraire gave English retreat about 1300.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of restraining.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of withdrawing.[2][4]
  • c. 1300 – English retreat is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To drag back; to bring back by force.[2]
  2. To win back, retrieve.[2]
  3. To draw back, withdraw.[2]
  4. To hold back, restrain.[2][6]
  5. To draw in, reduce.[2]

Word family

  • retractiō
  • retractus
  • retractō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Retraho.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/retraho. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·