/ri ten"sheuhn/ , n.
1. the act of retaining.
2. the state of being retained.
3. the power to retain; capacity for retaining.
4. the act or power of remembering things; memory.
[ 1350-1400; ME retencion retention- (s. of retentio ) a keeping back, equiv. to retent ( us ) (ptp. of retinere to RETAIN) + -ion- -ION ]