retrievalPronunciation: /rɪˈtriːvl/Translate retrieval | into German | into Italian Definition of retrieval noun 1 [mass noun] the process of getting something back from somewhere:the investigation was completed after the retrieval of plane wreckage 2the action of obtaining or consulting material stored in a computer system: online information retrieval [as modifier]:storage and retrieval systemsretrieval in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of retrieval in the US English dictionary