Meaning & Definition of word "Retention"

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    Retention

    /rɪˈtɛnʃən/

    noun:

    • 1. The act of keeping something in possession or maintaining possession of something.
      • Example: The company focuses on customer retention to ensure sustainable growth.
    • 2. The ability to remember information over time.
      • Example: The retention of facts learned during the lecture was assessed through a quiz.
    • 3. The continuing possession, use, or control of something.
      • Example: The retention of employees is a key factor in the success of the organization.
    • 4. The act of withholding or keeping something back.
      • Example: The retention of certain documents is required by law.
    • 5. In psychology, the process by which information is stored in memory for later retrieval.
      • Example: The study examined how different teaching methods affect memory retention in students.

    Etymology

    Middle English, from Latin 'retentio', 'retinere' which means 'to hold back'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    data retention:

    The act of retaining data for a specific period for compliance or analysis.

    memory retention:

    The ability of a person to maintain information over time.

    employee retention:

    The ability of an organization to keep its employees.

    retention rate:

    The percentage of employees or customers that remain over a specific period.

    Related Words

    retain:

    To keep possession of something.

    maintain:

    To keep in an existing state.

    preserve:

    To keep something in its original state.

    withhold:

    To hold back or refuse to give.

    Slang Meanings of retention

    Meaning: Retention bonus

    Example Sentence: They offered him a retention bonus to keep him from leaving the company.

    Meaning: Memory dump

    Example Sentence: My memory retention feels like a dump—I can’t remember anything!