RETAINER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does retainer mean? 

• RETAINER (noun)
  The noun RETAINER has 3 senses:

1. a fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone

2. a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

3. a dental appliance that holds teeth (or a prosthesis) in position after orthodontic treatment

  Familiarity information: RETAINER used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RETAINER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A fee charged in advance to retain the services of someone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

consideration; retainer

Hypernyms ("retainer" is a kind of...):

fee (a fixed charge for a privilege or for professional services)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "retainer"):

quid; quid pro quo (something for something; that which a party receives (or is promised) in return for something he does or gives or promises)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

retainer; servant

Hypernyms ("retainer" is a kind of...):

worker (a person who works at a specific occupation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "retainer"):

body servant (a valet or personal maid)

cabin boy (a young man acting as a servant on a ship)

domestic; domestic help; house servant (a servant who is paid to perform menial tasks around the household)

factotum (a servant employed to do a variety of jobs)

familiar (a person attached to the household of a high official (as a pope or bishop) who renders service in return for support)

flunkey; flunky; lackey (a male servant (especially a footman))

major-domo; seneschal (the chief steward or butler of a great household)

manservant (a man servant)

menial (a domestic servant)

scullion (a kitchen servant employed to do menial tasks (especially washing))

servant girl; serving girl (a girl who is a servant)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A dental appliance that holds teeth (or a prosthesis) in position after orthodontic treatment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("retainer" is a kind of...):

dental appliance (a device to repair teeth or replace missing teeth)

 Context examples 

The principal function of this retainer was to quarrel with the cook; in which respect he was a perfect Whittington, without his cat, or the remotest chance of being made Lord Mayor.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

A stout little retainer came in with chains and led them away, looking very much frightened and evidently forgetting the speech he ought to have made.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

But already we have enrolled certain retainers who may play no small part in what is to come.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)