'retry' originates from the prefix 're-' meaning 'again' and the verb 'try', which comes from Old French 'trier', meaning 'to sift or separate'.

'trier' transformed into the Middle English word 'tryen', and eventually became the modern English word 'try'. The prefix 're-' was added to form 'retry'.

Initially, 'try' meant 'to sift or separate', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'attempt'. 'Retry' maintains the meaning of attempting again.