First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1retrieve
verb re·trieve \ri-ˈtrēv\
: to get and bring (something) back from a place
: to find and get (information) from a computer or disk
: to find and bring birds or animals that have been shot back to a hunter
re·trievedre·triev·ing
Full Definition of RETRIEVE
transitive verb
1
: to locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)
2
: to call to mind again
3
: to get back again : regain
4
6
: to remedy the evil consequences of : correct
7
: to get and bring back; especially : to recover (as information) from storage
intransitive verb
: to bring in game <a dog that retrieves well>; also : to bring back an object thrown by a person
— re·triev·abil·i·ty \-ˌtrē-və-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— re·triev·able \-ˈtrē-və-bəl\ adjective
See retrieve defined for English-language learners
See retrieve defined for kids
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Origin of RETRIEVE
Middle English retreven, from Anglo-French retrueve-, present stem of retrover to find again, from re- + trover to compose, invent, find, from Vulgar Latin *tropare — more at troubadour
Related to RETRIEVE
Rhymes with RETRIEVE
2retrieve
noun
Definition of RETRIEVE
1
2
: the successful return of a ball that is difficult to reach or control (as in tennis)
First Known Use of RETRIEVE
1697
RETRIEVE Defined for Kids
retrieve
verb re·trieve \ri-ˈtrēv\
re·trievedre·triev·ing
Definition of RETRIEVE for Kids
1
: to get and bring back <One of the players retrieved the ball.>
2
: to find and bring back killed or wounded game <The dog learned to retrieve birds.>
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