Skip to content

retenu

reserved, restrained

adjective ruh-tuh-NOO Rare

Also means

withheld, held back

Usage Note

Retenu is the past participle of retenir used as an adjective, and its meaning shifts with context: describing a person it means 'reserved' or 'discreet', while describing a payment or amount it means 'withheld'. The noun retenue covers both senses — self-restraint in behaviour and a deduction from a salary.

Examples

"Il reste très retenu en public."

Natural Translation

He remains very reserved in public.

Explore French by topic