Retentive RETEN'TIVE, a. Having the power to retain; as a retentive
memory; the retentive faculty; the retentive force of the stomach;
a body retentive of heat or moisture.
retentive
adj 1: good at remembering; "a retentive mind"; "tenacious
memory" [syn: retentive, recollective, long,
tenacious] [ant: forgetful, short, unretentive]
2: having the capacity to retain something
3: having the power, capacity, or quality of retaining water;
"soils retentive of moisture"
retentive adjectiveEtymology: Middle English retentif, from Anglo-French &
Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin retentivus, from
Latin retentus, past participle of retinēreDate:
14th century
having the power, property, or capacity of retaining <soils
retentive of moisture>; especially retaining knowledge
easily <a retentive memory> • retentivelyadverb
• retentivenessnoun
retentive adj. 1 (often foll. by of) tending to retain (moisture etc.). 2 (of memory or a person) not forgetful. 3 Surgery (of a ligature etc.) serving to keep something in
place. Derivatives: retentively adv. retentiveness n. Etymology: ME f. OF retentif -ive or med.L retentivus (as RETAIN)
retentive
rɪˈtentɪv adj. 1 (often foll. by of) tending to retain (moisture
etc.). 2 (of memory or a person) not forgetful. 3 Surgery (of a ligature
etc.) serving to keep something in place. øøretentively adv. retentiveness
n. [ME f. OF retentif -ive or med.L retentivus (as RETAIN)]
Retentive \Re*ten"tive\, a. [Cf. F. r['e]tentif.]
Having power to retain; as, a retentive memory.
Nor airless dungeon, nor strong links of iron, Can be
retentive to the strength of spirit. --Shak.
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