retrieve

/ɹɪˈtɹiːv/

//ɹɪˈtɹiːv// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"retrieve" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“retrieve” has 11 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #11,451. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#11,451
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
11
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 2, 2026) - To regain or get back something.

Corpus desk

Index EN-retrieve · retrieve · English

retrieve · rank #11,451 · 11 variants · 4 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #11,451
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 4 pairs
  • VAR-MID 11 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH receipts

Nearest frequency peer: receipts (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “retrieve”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “retrieve” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 2, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

retrieve vs retriever
89% similar
retrieve vs relieve
75% similar
retrieve vs reprieve
88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for retrieve
PropertyValue
Headwordretrieve
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈtɹiːv/
Letters8
Frequency rank#11,451
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “retrieve” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). retrieve lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 11 spelling variants around retrieve (IPA /ɹɪˈtɹiːv/), averb. Corpus frequency is #11,451 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 11 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for retrieve, with forms such as "ertrieve", "rertieve", and "retireve". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "retriever", "relieve", "reprieve", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Recorded in Middle English c. 1410 as retreve (altered to retrive in the 16th century; modern form is from c. 1650), from Middle French retruev-, stem of Old French retrover (“to find again”, modern retrouver), itself from re- (“again”) + trover (“to find”)… The correct English form is retrieve, spelled R-E-T-R-I-E-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To regain or get back something.
  2. 2
    To rescue (a creature).
  3. 3
    To salvage something
  4. 4
    To remedy or rectify something.
  5. 5
    To remember or recall something.
  6. 6
    To fetch or carry back something, especially (computing) a file or data record.
  7. 7
    To fetch and bring in game.
  8. 8
    To fetch and bring in game systematically.
  9. 9
    To fetch or carry back systematically, notably as a game.
  10. 10
    To make a difficult but successful return of the ball.
  11. 11
    To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair (a loss or damage).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how retrieve appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. to retrieve one's character or independence; to retrieve a thrown ball
  2. With late repentance now they would retrieve / The bodies they forsook, and wish to live.

Etymology

Recorded in Middle English c. 1410 as retreve (altered to retrive in the 16th century; modern form is from c. 1650), from Middle French retruev-, stem of Old French retrover (“to find again”, modern retrouver), itself from re- (“again”) + trover (“to find”), probably from Vulgar Latin *tropāre (“to compose”).

This word in other languages

recuperar(Español)récupérer(Français)zurückholen(Deutsch)recuperar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ertrieve
  • rertieve
  • retireve
  • retreive
  • retrieev
  • retrievve
  • retrivee
  • retrrieve
  • rettrieve
  • rretrieve
  • rterieve

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of retrieve - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ertrieve2rertieve2retireve2retreive2retrieev2retrievve1retrivee2retrrieve1
Edit distance from "retrieve"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "retrieve"?
"retrieve" is spelled R-E-T-R-I-E-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈtɹiːv/.
What does "retrieve" mean?
As a verb, "retrieve" means: To regain or get back something.
What words are commonly confused with "retrieve"?
"retrieve" is commonly confused with "retriever", "relieve", "reprieve". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "retrieve"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "retrieve" is /ɹɪˈtɹiːv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "retrieve"?
Recorded in Middle English c. 1410 as retreve (altered to retrive in the 16th century; modern form is from c. 1650), from Middle French retruev-, stem of Old French retrover (“to find again”, modern retrouver), itself from re- (“again”) + trover (... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "retrieve", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 8 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

receipts#11,450Plymouth#11,439slipping#11,464squadron#11,470

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (11 here; floor ≥5).

Patterson11 variantsNorwich11 variantsmustard11 variantstakeover11 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "retrieve". Here's where to go from here.

  • "retrieve" maps to 4 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "retriever". View pair
  • 11 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #11,451 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "R" letter cohort. R–Z browse

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list