Retrieval
rɪˈtriːvəl
Definitions
The act of finding and bringing something back; the process of getting information from a storage system.
rɪˈtriːvəl
The act of getting something back.
The library's search engine facilitates information retrieval.
💡 Simply: Retrieval is like going back to your room to get your favorite toy that you left there. It means getting something back, whether it’s a piece of information from a computer or a toy from your room. For example, if you want a specific photo from your computer, you perform an act of retrieval.
👶 For kids: Getting something back! Like when you find your lost toy.
More Examples
The police were responsible for the retrieval of evidence from the crime scene.
Data retrieval is crucial in data science for getting information
How It's Used
"The data retrieval process was slow due to the large file size."
"The retrieval of stolen property was the primary goal of the investigation."
"The dog's retrieval skills were impressive during the competition."
From Middle English *retreven*, from Old French *retrover* (“to find again”), from *re-* (“again”) + *trover* (“to find”).
Historically, the word has been used in contexts ranging from recovering lost objects to, later, the recovery of information, reflecting the evolution of technology and its impact on society.
Memory tip
Think of retrieving a lost item; the word itself sounds like it is doing just that - retriev-al.