a stage in psychosexual development when the child's interest is concentrated on the anal region; fixation at this stage is said to result in orderliness, meanness, stubbornness, compulsiveness, and so on
adjective (modifies a noun)
more anal-retentive
most anal-retentive
anal | anally retentive | anal retentive [predicate]
anal + retentive
(Source: Wiktionary) [more]
used conversationally to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, potentially to the detriment of the anal-retentive person. The term derives from Freudian psychoanalysis. In Freudian ... (36 of 311 words)
[psychology, psychiatry] exhibiting anal personality traits | [insulting, informal] being excessively concerned with trivial details (14 of 284 words, 2 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)
www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/anal-retentive 1
of or near the anus | [psychoanalysis] ; designating or of the second stage of psychosexual development, in which interest centers in excretory ... (22 of 63 words, 6 definitions, pronunciation)
exhibiting or typifying personality traits (as frugality and obstinacy) held to be psychological consequences of toilet training (17 of 40 words, pronunciation)
[psychoanalysis] : excessively orderly and fussy (supposedly owing to conflict over toilet-training in infancy). | a person who is excessively orderly ... (20 of 30 words, 2 definitions)
see anal (2 of 27 words)
www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/anal-retentive 1
Indicating personality traits, such as meticulousness, avarice, and obstinacy, originating in habits, attitudes, or values associated with infantile ... (18 of 25 words)
[Freudian psychology] Preoccupied with achieving order and control and with collecting, possessing, and retaining objects. | Overly obsessive concerning small details. (20 of 24 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)
having an anal character. | a person who is anal retentive. (10 of 14 words, 2 definitions)
describes someone who is too worried about being organized and tidy (11 of 35 words, 1 usage example)
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/anally-retentive
relating to or situated near the anus | in Freudian theory, relating to a stage of childhood psychosexual development during which the focus is on the ... (25 of 94 words, 3 definitions, pronunciation)
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861695485/definition.html [offline]
Origin: anal + retentive
First use: 1769
Origin: Modern Latin analis "of the anus"; see "anus". Anal-retentive first attested 1957, in psychological jargon.
First use: mid 18th century
Origin: modern Latin analis, from Latin anus (see "anus")
First use: 18th century
Origin: from New Latin ānālis; see anus
First use: Mid-18th century
Origin: modern Latin analis from anus
encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861695485/definition.html [offline]
Audio 1: British English pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
Audio 2: British English pronunciation of anally retentive
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Audio: North American pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
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Audio 1: North American English pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
Audio 2: British English pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
www.thefreedictionary.com/anal-retentive
Audio 1: North American English pronunciation of "anal"
Audio 2: British English pronunciation of "anal"
Audio 3: North American English pronunciation of "anal" by speech synthesizer
Audio: English pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
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Audio: North American pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=analr01m word=anal-retentive
Audio: North American pronunciation of "anal"
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Audio: North American English pronunciation of "anal-retentive"
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Audio: North American English pronunciation of "anal" by speech synthesizer
Audio 1: British English pronunuciation of "anally retentive"
Audio 2: North American English pronunuciation of "anally retentive"
dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/anally-retentive
Audio 1: British English pronunuciation of "anal"
Page last updated: 2013-01-01