'withhold' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'withholdan', where the prefix 'with-' meant 'against, back' and 'holdan' meant 'to hold'.

'withholdan' changed into Middle English forms such as 'withholden' and eventually became the modern English verb 'withhold'; the agent noun 'withholder' was formed by adding the agentive suffix '-er'.

Initially, it meant 'to hold back' (physically or figuratively); over time it evolved into the current sense of 'to refuse to give, keep back, or retain (something)'.