RETENTIVENESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does retentiveness mean? 

• RETENTIVENESS (noun)
  The noun RETENTIVENESS has 3 senses:

1. the power of retaining and recalling past experience

2. the property of retaining possessions that have been acquired

3. the power of retaining liquid

  Familiarity information: RETENTIVENESS used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RETENTIVENESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The power of retaining and recalling past experience

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

memory; retention; retentiveness; retentivity

Context example:

he had a good memory when he was younger

Hypernyms ("retentiveness" is a kind of...):

faculty; mental faculty; module (one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "retentiveness"):

anamnesis; recollection; remembrance (the ability to recall past occurrences)

Derivation:

retentive (good at remembering)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The property of retaining possessions that have been acquired

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

retentiveness; retentivity

Hypernyms ("retentiveness" is a kind of...):

acquisitiveness (strong desire to acquire and possess)

Derivation:

retentive (having the capacity to retain something)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The power of retaining liquid

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

retention; retentiveness; retentivity

Context example:

moisture retentivity of soil

Hypernyms ("retentiveness" is a kind of...):

impermeability; impermeableness (the property of something that cannot be pervaded by a liquid)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "retentiveness"):

urinary retention (holding urine in the urinary bladder)

Derivation:

retentive (having the power, capacity, or quality of retaining water)