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Added 9 October 2026

captive

/ˈkæptɪv/ noun

In Latin: captīvus, captus Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about captive at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war.
An animal that is confined.
A person held in the grip of a strong emotion or passion.

adjective

Being in captivity.
Giving or marked by complete attention to.
that engrossed look or rapt delight

Origin

Inherited from Middle English captif; derived from Latin captīvus, probably through a borrowing from a Middle French intermediate. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap- (“seize, hold”). Doublet of caitiff.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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