captive

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See also: captivé

English

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈkæptɪv/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: cap‧tive

Noun

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captive (plural captives)

  1. One who has been captured or is otherwise confined.
    • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, [], →OCLC, Canto XXVII, page 44:
      I envy not in any moods
      ⁠The captive void of noble rage,
      ⁠The linnet born within the cage,
      That never knew the summer woods: []
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      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 [].
  2. One held prisoner.
  3. (figurative) One charmed or subdued by beauty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.
  4. A captive insurance company, a subsidiary of a company used as its internal insurer.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Adjective

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captive (not comparable)

  1. Held prisoner; not free; confined.
  2. Subdued by love; charmed; captivated.
  3. Of or relating to bondage or confinement; serving to confine.
    captive chains; captive hours

Antonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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captive (third-person singular simple present captives, present participle captiving, simple past and past participle captived)

  1. (transitive, archaic) To capture; to take captive.

French

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Pronunciation

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Noun

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captive f (plural captives, masculine captif)

  1. female captive

Verb

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captive

  1. inflection of captiver:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Latin

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Adjective

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captīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of captīvus

Middle English

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Noun

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captive

  1. Alternative form of captif