retainer
/ɹɪˈteɪn.ɚ/noun
retainer is spelled R-E-T-A-I-N-E-R: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 24,745th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, retainer means “Any thing or person that retains” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of retainer is retainers.
How many letters and syllables are in retainer?
| Letters | 8: R-E-T-A-I-N-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 1.3 times per million words; the 24,745th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is retainer?
Retainer appears 1.3 times per million words in written English, the 24,745th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce retainer?
- UK /ɹɪˈteɪn.ə/
- US /ɹɪˈteɪn.ɚ/
- US /ɹəˈteɪn.ɚ/
Retainer has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-retainer.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with retainer?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as retainer from its last stressed vowel (/eɪnəɹ/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of retainer
- retainers plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does retainer mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any thing or person that retains.
- 2
A dependent or follower of someone of rank.
- 3
A paid servant, especially one who has been employed for many years.
- 4
A fee one pays to reserve the other's time for services.
This lawyer charges a retainer for his work.
- 5
A device that holds teeth in position after orthodontic treatment.
- 6
A retaining valve.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate retainer?
Wiktionary records one abbreviation of retainer: retnr..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Retainer in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | retentor , aparelho |
| French | faux-palais, contention , suite , serviteur , avance |
| German | Retainer, Zahnspange , Dienstmann, Gefolgsmann, Vasall , Bediensteter |
| Spanish | retenedor (ortodóntico / ortodóncico) , criado , anticipo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does retainer come from?
From retain + -er.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).