Retreive vs. Retrieve: The Correct Spellings

To remember the correct spelling of "retrieve," think of the phrase "I 'e-i' even 'retrieve' my keys." In this phrase, the "e-i" reminds you of the correct order of these letters in "retrieve."

The correct spelling of the word is "retrieve," not "retreive." The difference between the two spellings is the arrangement of the letters "e" and "i" after the "r." The correct arrangement is "ei," aligning with the phrase "i before e except after c," a general spelling rule in English.

The word "retrieve" originates from the Latin word "retro-" meaning "back" and the Old French word "trover" meaning "to find." Together they form the idea of finding something again or getting it back.

Other forms of the word include "retrieves" (plural), "retrieved" (past tense), "retrieving" (gerund), and "retrievable" (adjective).

Incorrect: She needed to retreive her files from the old computer.

Correct: She needed to retrieve her files from the old computer.

Incorrect: Can you retreive the ball from the neighbor's yard?

Correct: Can you retrieve the ball from the neighbor's yard?

Incorrect: He went to the library to retreive some reference books.

Correct: He went to the library to retrieve some reference books.

Incorrect: He tried to retreive his thoughts after the interruption.

Correct: He tried to retrieve his thoughts after the interruption.

Incorrect: The system failed to retreive the requested information.

Correct: The system failed to retrieve the requested information.

To get back or recover something lost, misplaced, or taken.

To remedy or rectify a mistake or problem.

To access and bring forth stored information or data.

To regain or restore a favorable position or condition.

To fetch a thrown or shot item, especially in the context of hunting dogs.

To get back into one's grasp, possession, or control, especially from a known place or a place of storage

To go to and bring or escort back (someone)

To search for, find, and bring back

To search for, find, and carry back (killed game or a thrown object). Used of dogs.

To gain access to (stored information).

To recall to mind (a memory, for example); remember.

To rescue or save

(Sports) To make a difficult but successful return of (a ball or shuttlecock, as in tennis or badminton).

To restore to a former or desirable condition

To rectify the unfavorable consequences of; remedy

To find and bring back game or a thrown object

The act of retrieving; retrieval.

(Sports) A difficult but successful return of a ball or shuttlecock.

(transitive) To regain or get back something.

(transitive) To rescue (a creature).

(transitive) To salvage something

(transitive) To remedy or rectify something.

(transitive) To remember or recall something.

(transitive) To fetch or carry back something, especially (computing) a file or data record.

(transitive) To fetch and bring in game.

(intransitive) To fetch and bring in game systematically.

(intransitive) To fetch or carry back systematically, notably as a game.

To make a difficult but successful return of the ball.

(obsolete) To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair (a loss or damage).

A retrieval

(sports) The return of a difficult ball

(obsolete) A seeking again; a discovery.

(obsolete) The recovery of game once sprung.

To find again; to recover; to regain; to restore from loss or injury; as, to retrieve one's character; to retrieve independence.

To recall; to bring back.

To remedy the evil consequence of, to repair, as a loss or damadge.

To discover and bring in game that has been killed or wounded; as, a dog naturally inclined to retrieve.

A seeking again; a discovery.

The recovery of game once sprung; - an old sporting term.

get or find back; recover the use of;

of trained dogs

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection;

He had to retrieve his luggage from the lost and found.

The rescue team was able to retrieve the stranded hikers.

The dog was trained to retrieve the newspaper every morning.

They had to use a crane to retrieve the car from the river.

The software can retrieve data from any point in time.

Can you help me retrieve the kite from the tree?

The athlete went back to retrieve his forgotten equipment.

She managed to retrieve the situation with a quick apology.

She went into the storage room to retrieve her winter coat.

The company was able to retrieve all the lost documents.

The player managed to retrieve the ball from the back of the court.

They used a drone to retrieve aerial footage of the area.

The scientist was able to retrieve valuable data from the experiment.

She reached under the bed to retrieve her missing shoe.

He used a net to retrieve the toy from the pool.

She had to dive to retrieve the dropped keys.

The team worked together to retrieve the heavy object.

The boy climbed the tree to retrieve his frisbee.

She had to ask for help to retrieve the item from the high shelf.

The cat managed to retrieve its toy from under the couch.

He went back to retrieve his forgotten hat.

The word "retrieve" comes from Latin and Old French roots that combine the ideas of finding something again or getting it back.

The correct spelling is "retrieve," with "ei" following the "r."

Yes, other forms include "retrieves," "retrieved," "retrieving," and "retrievable."

To retrieve data means to access and bring forth stored information from a database or other storage medium.

Common synonyms for "retrieve" include "recover," "regain," "fetch," and "reclaim."

The word "retreive" is incorrect because it violates the general spelling rule of "i before e except after c."

Think of the phrase "I 'e-i' even 'retrieve' my keys" to remember the correct order of "e" and "i" in "retrieve."

"Retrieve" is primarily used as a verb but can also function as a noun in certain contexts, as in "data retrieve."

Example: She was able to retrieve her lost phone using a tracking app.

The antonym of "retrieve" could be "lose" or "misplace," depending on the context.