What is the Latin word for retention?

The usual Latin words for “retention” are retentiō, angustĭae. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“retention” in Latin

retentiōa holding back; holding in; a withholding; a retaining, keeping back; preservation, maintenance angustĭaesing

The English word retention itself goes back to Latin teneō, through retentiō.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

retention

retentio (as act of retaining). If = Memory, Vid: Retention of urine, stranguria (στραγγουρία, also δυσπυρία, used by Cic., Attic., 10, 10, 3, as a Greek word; in later writers it stands as a Latin expression; the pure Latin, however, is urinae tormina, neuter, or urinae difficultas or angustiae.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for retention?: The usual Latin words for “retention” are retentiō, angustĭae. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.