adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of retentive
1325–75; Middle English retentif < Middle French < Medieval Latin retentīvus, equivalent to Latin retent ( us ) ( see retention) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
If something is retentive, it is able to hold something else, so be glad if you have a retentive mind and grab a sponge if you need something retentive to sop up water. Retentive is closely related to the word retain. Both come from the Latin retinere, which means "to hold back." If you are a farmer, it's good to know how water-retentive your soil is, or how much water it can hold and store. How much information can your brain hold and store? For someone with a retentive mind or memory or eye, it's quite a lot!
Vocabulary lists containing retentive
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Black Boy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In March 2024, with the biotech company’s share price down around 80% from the date of the equity grant, Guardant’s board concluded that the award “no longer offered meaningful financial or retentive value.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 17, 2026
Alas! with all her reasonings, she found that to retentive feelings eight years may be little more than nothing.
From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2021
My soil is dark, crumbly, and highly water retentive, but it also breathes.
From New York Times ● Apr. 18, 2018
“It’s amazing how comfortable people are tossing that around—‘anal retentive.’
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 26, 2012
Yet, despite my retentive memory, I found it impossible to recite when I went back into the classroom.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
