retainer

1 of 2

noun (1)

re·​tain·​er ri-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce retainer (audio)
1
a
: a person attached or owing service to a household
especially : servant
b
2
: one that retains
3
: a device or structure that holds something in place: such as
a
: the part of a dental replacement (such as a bridge) by which it is made fast to adjacent natural teeth
b
: a dental appliance used to hold teeth in correct position especially following orthodontic treatment

retainer

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: the act of a client by which the services of a lawyer, counselor, or adviser are engaged
2
: a fee paid to a lawyer or professional adviser for advice or services or for a claim on services when needed

Examples of retainer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There are upsides to the corporate touch: Large corporations are more likely to operate 24/7 property management hotlines and have plumbers and electricians on retainer. Calmatters, Orange County Register, 7 Mar. 2024 The tax documents suggest that the engineering firm’s retainer amounted to nearly half of her family’s income of $64,000 in 2007. Alexandra Berzon, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2024 Features like oversized power switches, sturdy bases, and cord retainers are all important to keep in mind while shopping for a leaf mulcher. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024 Retained Executive Search Recruiters Used for senior-level executive or niche roles, these recruiters are paid a retainer to manage the recruitment process end-to-end exclusively. Gina Riley, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 For top matchmakers, the retainer could be $10,000 to $75,000 a month, for three to six months, with a success fee of $50,000 to $1 million. Angela Chen, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2024 More than anything, Reenie’s constant presence on an open retainer underlined one of my greatest points of confusion about the show: I’m not convinced that Tracker proves that what Colter Shaw does is a workable business plan for anybody involved. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2024 The Jeep then hit a retainer wall and side-swiped a fourth vehicle, the school bus. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Feb. 2024 Will buyers and sellers agree to pay an hourly rate plus expenses, with a retainer to be held in trust and payable whether or not the seller sells or the buyer buys? WSJ, 7 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retainer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English reteigner, literally, retention, from Anglo-French, from reteigner, verb

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retainer was in 1508

Dictionary Entries Near retainer

Cite this Entry

“Retainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retainer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

retainer

1 of 2 noun
re·​tain·​er ri-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce retainer (audio)
: a fee paid (as to a lawyer) for advice or services or for a claim upon services in case of need

retainer

2 of 2 noun
1
: a servant or follower in a wealthy household
2
: one that retains
3
: a usually removable dental device used to hold teeth in correct position especially following orthodontic treatment (as with braces)

called also bite plate

Medical Definition

retainer

noun
re·​tain·​er ri-ˈtān-ər How to pronounce retainer (audio)
1
: the part of a dental replacement (as a bridge) by which it is made fast to adjacent natural teeth
2
: a dental appliance used to hold teeth in their correct position especially following orthodontic treatment

Legal Definition

retainer

noun
re·​tain·​er ri-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce retainer (audio)
1
: the act of a client by which the services of a lawyer are engaged
2
: a fee paid to a lawyer for advice or services or for a claim on services when needed
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French retener act of engaging or employing, from retener retenir to engage, retain

More from Merriam-Webster on retainer

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