illicitly-retained
|il-lic-it-ly-re-tained|
/ɪˈlɪsɪtli rɪˈteɪnd/
(retain)
keep or hold
Etymology
'illicitly-retained' originates from the combination of 'illicitly' and 'retained'. 'Illicitly' comes from Latin 'illicitus', meaning 'not allowed', and 'retained' from Latin 'retinere', meaning 'to hold back'.
'Illicitly' evolved from the Latin 'illicitus' through Old French 'illicite', and 'retained' from Latin 'retinere' through Old French 'retenir'.
Initially, 'illicitly' meant 'not allowed by law', and 'retained' meant 'held back'. Together, they evolved to mean 'kept in a manner not legally permitted'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
kept or held in a manner that is not legally permitted.
The documents were illicitly-retained by the company.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/26 03:49