'nutrient-retentive' is a compound of 'nutrient' and 'retentive'. 'nutrient' originates from Latin, specifically the verb 'nutrire' and Medieval Latin 'nutrimentum', where 'nutrire' meant 'to nourish'. 'retentive' originates from Latin, specifically the adjective 'retentivus' from 'retinere', where the prefix 're-' meant 'back' and 'tenere' (from classical Latin) meant 'to hold'.

'nutrient' passed into English via Medieval Latin 'nutrimentum' and Old French influences to become the Modern English 'nutrient'. 'retentive' developed from Latin 'retentivus' through Old French/Medieval forms (e.g. Old French retentif) into Middle/Modern English 'retentive'. The compound adjective 'nutrient-retentive' is a modern English formation combining these two elements to describe materials or soils that hold nutrients.

Initially, the elements meant 'that which nourishes' (from 'nutrire') and 'able to hold back/retain' (from 'retinere'); combined in modern usage they mean 'able to hold nutrients' or 'that retains nourishment'.