Wiktionary

retainer

English

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Etymology

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Etymology tree
English retain
Proto-Indo-European *-yósder.
Proto-Italic *-āzijos
Latin -āriusnom.
Latin -āriusbor.
Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz
Proto-West Germanic *-ārī
Old English -ere
Middle English -ere
English -er
English retainer

    From retain + -er.

    Pronunciation

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    Noun

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    retainer (plural retainers)

    1. Any thing or person that retains.
    2. A dependent or follower of someone of rank.
      • 2021 October 19, David Graeber, David Wengrowr, “Unfreezing the ice age: the truth about humanity’s deep past”, in The Guardian, UK:
        If they possessed the means to marshal labour, pile up food resources and provender armies of year-round retainers, what sort of royalty would consciously elect not to do so.
    3. A paid servant, especially one who has been employed for many years.
      • 1865, Sheridan Le Fanu, Uncle Silas:
        Of all this family lore I knew but little and vaguely; only what is to be gathered from the fireside talk of old retainers in the nursery.
    4. A fee one pays to reserve the other's time for services.
      This lawyer charges a retainer for his work.
    5. (dentistry) A device that holds teeth in position after orthodontic treatment.
      • 1981, “Too Drunk to Fuck”, performed by Dead Kennedys:
        You give me head / It makes it worse / Take out your fuckin' retainer / Put it in your purse
    6. (rail transport, mechanical engineering) A retaining valve.

    Derived terms

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    English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ten- (1 c, 106 e)

    Translations

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    See also

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    Anagrams

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