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Glite Dictionary
urinary retention

urinary retention

7.0
Cannot empty the bladder completely
  • noun
  • /ˈjʊrɪˌnɛri rɪˈtɛnʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : retención urinaria
  • Many patients experience urinary retention after undergoing certain surgeries.

Examples

  • One result may be urinary retention.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Uncommon side effects include sweating, urinary retention, anaphylaxis, and neurotoxicity.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Other symptoms can include slurred speech, unsteady gait, urinary retention, weakness, and sensory deficit.

    Blog text (16)

  • For acute urinary retention, NICE again suggests catheterisation (offering an alpha blocker beforehand).

    Academic text (2012)

  • The doctor explained that urinary retention can lead to serious complications if not treated.

  • A common cause of urinary retention is an enlarged prostate in older men.

Synonyms

anuresis
vsurinary retention
  • Specialized
9.9

A condition in which a person cannot pass urine

is inability to fully empty stored urine from the bladder

How Retained

urinary retention
  • Specialized
7.0
urination
13 3.9

Surface Forms

urinary retention singular
urinary retentions plural

Morphology

urinary + retention

The term is compositionally built from 'urinary' (relating to urine) and 'retention' (keeping or holding), so its meaning — holding or not being able to release urine — is directly derivable from the constituents. Although it is clinical register, the concept is transparent and matches parallel constructions in other languages, so a learner who knows both words would understand the MWE.

Etymology

The noun urinary retention comes from plain medical words: urinary refers to urine and the bladder while retention means holding or keeping something. So, 'urinary retention' means the bladder keeps urine and the person cannot fully empty it.