Retainability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The attribute of an entity that permits it to be preserved or held securely defines its capacity to remain intact over time
2. The ability of something to be maintained or held without loss or damage
3. A quality that describes how well something can be preserved or kept in possession

Etymology: Retainability is a plain formation: the verb "retain" with the suffix "-ability" attached, the latter being the familiar English pattern that turns adjectives ending in "-able" into nouns for the quality of being able to do something. "Retain" came into English from Old French "retenir", itself from Latin "retinere", meaning "to hold back" or "to keep hold of", built from "re-" and "tenere" ("to hold"). Adding "-ability" to it gives a noun for the capacity to keep something, which is why the word is most often used in technical and commercial settings, such as the ability of a fabric, a customer base, or a computer memory to hold onto what it has.