Retrieval is the act of getting something back or finding and bringing something to you. When you search your memory to remember where you left your backpack, that's retrieval: pulling information out of storage in your brain. When a dog fetches a thrown stick and brings it back, that's retrieval too.

You might retrieve a book from your locker, retrieve a file from your computer, or retrieve a ball that rolled under the couch. Information retrieval is especially important in libraries and on the internet, where systems help you find exactly what you're looking for among millions of possibilities.

Some dogs, called retrievers, were specifically bred to find and bring back birds that hunters had shot. Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers got their names because they're naturally good at this kind of retrieval work, though today most of them just retrieve tennis balls and enjoy being family pets.

The key idea is that retrieval involves locating something and bringing it back to where it's needed. Whether you're retrieving memories for a history test or retrieving your jacket from the gym, you're finding something that was stored away and making it available again.