# retriever

/ɹiˈtɹivɝ/ (US) · /ɹɪtɹˈiːvɐ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/retriever
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

a tool or person used to get something back from a difficult place. In surgery, it is a small instrument used to pull out small objects like stones or pieces of metal.

For teachers: a tool or person used to recover something from a difficult or inaccessible location. In a surgical context, refers to a small instrument designed to extract foreign bodies or calculi from the body.

## Examples

- The surgeon used a small retriever to pull out the stone.
- During the laparoscopic procedure, the doctor inserted a flexible retriever to remove the tiny metal fragment from the patient's abdomen.
- Modern surgical techniques often rely on specialized retrievers to extract delicate tissue samples or foreign objects without causing further trauma to the surrounding organs.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.