captive
See also: captivé
English
Etymology
From Middle English captif; in turn ultimately from Latin captīvus, probably through a borrowing from a Middle French intermediate. Doublet of caitiff.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkæptɪv/
Audio (US) (file) - Hyphenation: cap‧tive
Noun
captive (plural captives)
- One who has been captured or is otherwise confined.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
- When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him. The captive made no resistance […].
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- One held prisoner.
- (figurative) One charmed or subdued by beauty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.
Translations
a person who has been captured
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a person held prisoner
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Adjective
captive (not comparable)
- Held prisoner; not free; confined.
- 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398:
- A poor, miserable, captive thrall.
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- Subdued by love; charmed; captivated.
- c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene i]:
- Even in so short a space, my woman's heart / Grossly grew captive to his honey words.
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- Of or relating to bondage or confinement; serving to confine.
- captive chains; captive hours
Antonyms
- non-captive, noncaptive
Derived terms
- captive audience
- captive bead ring
- captive candidate
- captive portal
Translations
held prisoner
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Verb
captive (third-person singular simple present captives, present participle captiving, simple past and past participle captived)
- (transitive, archaic) To capture; to take captive.
French
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Verb
captive
- inflection of captiver:
- first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
- second-person singular imperative
Latin
Adjective
captīve
- vocative masculine singular of captīvus
Middle English
Noun
captive
- Alternative form of captif