Home › Words › R › retentretent/ɹɪˈtɛnt/retent means that which is retained.retent is pronounced /ɹɪˈtɛnt/.EtymologyFrom Latin retentum, from retentus, perfect passive participle of retineō. See retain.nounThat which is retained.e.g.“The retent, when known, stands before us as if reflected and inverted in a mirror, the nearest events in the past being this way the nearest as actually remembered.” — 1854, Laurens Perseus Hickok, Empirical Psychology: Or, The Science of Mind from Experience:Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.retentive 81% match — Having power to retain. vs retent →retention 80% match — The act of retaining or something retained. vs retent →retentiveness 79% match — The state of being retentive. vs retent →retentivity 78% match — The ability to retain, potential for retention. vs retent →retentively 78% match — In a retentive manner. vs retent →retainment 67% match — retention vs retent →retain 66% match — Often followed by from: to hold back (someone or something); to check, to prevent, to restrain, to stop. vs retent →irretentive 65% match — Not retentive; not apt to retain. vs retent →