Retention

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈtɛnʃən/

Definitions

1. The act of keeping or continuing to hold something, or the ability to remember information over time
2. The process of maintaining possession or control over something, as well as the capacity to recall or keep information in memory over longer periods
3. The state of holding onto objects or ideas, together with the ability to effectively store and access learned information

Etymology: Retention is built from the Latin verb "retineō," which combined "re-" ("back, again") with "teneō" ("hold, keep"), so at its root it describes holding something back rather than letting it go. The noun "retentiō" grew from the past participle "retentus," and English took the word through Middle English "retencioun" from that Latin noun, bringing with it the same sense of keeping hold of what one has. The verb "teneō" is the source of a large family of English words, including "tenant," "tenure," "contain" and "detain," all sharing the core notion of holding. "Retain" and "retention" sit in that group, with the prefix "re-" adding the sense of holding fast or holding onto something in place.

Synonyms: holding, keeping, maintenance, preservation, storage

Antonyms: loss, release, dispersal