overwordExplorer
LATIN · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

retina.

retina;

6 characters3 syllables approx.Latina language

Meaning & usage

noun

  1. rein (strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control an animal)

    Early · Medieval-Latin · declension-1 · feminine
Where this word comes from

Generally explained as a deverbal of retineō (“hold back”). Alternatively, derived from retinācula ("reins" - far more common than the singular retināculum), reinterpreted as a feminine diminutive and back-formed into retina. Attested in the Glossarium Ansileubi, which was written between 650 and 800 CE.

noun[reːˈtiː.na]Classical-Latin[reˈtiː.na]

  1. the retina of an eye

    Early · Medieval-Latin · declension-1
Where this word comes from

Ellipsis of tunica rētīna (“a net-like tunic”), referring to the fibrillar texture of the eye's retina. The phrase is attested since at least the 12th century, and this noun usage since the 13th c.

adj[reːˈtiː.na]Classical-Latin[reˈtiː.na]

  1. inflection of rētīnus: nominative/vocative feminine singular

    Early · Medieval-Latin · feminine · form-of · nominative · singular · vocative

  2. inflection of rētīnus: nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural

    Early · Medieval-Latin · accusative · form-of · neuter · nominative · plural · vocative
Where this word comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

adj[reːˈtiː.na]Classical-Latin[reˈtiː.na]

  1. ablative feminine singular of rētīnus

    Early · Medieval-Latin · ablative · feminine · form-of · singular
Where this word comes from

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

noun[reːˈtiː.na]Classical-Latin[reˈtiː.na]

  1. medieval spelling of rēsīna (“resin”)

    Early · Medieval-Latin · alt-of · declension-1 · obsolete
Where this word comes from

An etymologising spelling, closer to the word’s etymon Ancient Greek ῥητῑ́νη (rhētī́nē, “resin of the pine”).

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.