captive — a person who has been taken prisoner or an animal that has been confined
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person who has been taken prisoner or an animal that has been confined
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkæptɪv/
Example Sentences
- The zoo's captive pandas became internet celebrities after learning to do backflips.
- During the long flight delay, passengers became a captive audience for the flight attendant's terrible jokes.
- The hostages were held captive for three days before being rescued.
captive
NOUN[/ˈkæptɪv/]
a person who has been taken prisoner or an animal that has been confined
The soldiers rescued the captive before the enemy could escape.
The captive hoped to escape one day. (Locked + Person → Captive)
The captive escaped the prison and finally found freedom.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin captivus, meaning 'taken captive' or 'imprisoned.' Originally used in ancient Rome to describe prisoners of war, this term has been transmitted through the centuries into modern English.
Breakdown
captus (taken, seized) + -ivus (adjective suffix indicating a state or condition). The root captus itself comes from capere, meaning 'to take' or 'to capture'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The zoo's captive pandas became internet celebrities after learning to do backflips.”
“During the long flight delay, passengers became a captive audience for the flight attendant's terrible jokes.”
“The hostages were held captive for three days before being rescued.”
“My cat thinks I'm his captive human, existing only to open tuna cans.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
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