retentivity Syllabification: (re·ten·tiv·i·ty)Pronunciation: /ˌrēˌtenˈtivətē, ri-/Definition of retentivity noun (plural retentivities) Physics the ability of a substance to retain or resist magnetization, frequently measured as the strength of the magnetic field that remains in a sample after removal of an inducing field. retentivity in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of retentivity in the British & World English dictionary