custody
Americannoun
plural
custodies-
keeping; guardianship; care.
- Synonyms:
- watch, charge, safekeeping
-
the keeping or charge of officers of the law.
The car was held in the custody of the police.
-
imprisonment; legal restraint.
He was taken into custody.
-
Also called child custody. Law. the right of determining the residence, protection, care, and education of a minor child or children, especially in a divorce or separation.
noun
-
the act of keeping safe or guarding, esp the right of guardianship of a minor
-
the state of being held by the police; arrest (esp in the phrases in custody, take into custody )
Related Words
Custody, keeping, possession imply a guardianship or care for something. Custody denotes a strict keeping, as by a formally authorized and responsible guardian or keeper: in the custody of the sheriff. Keeping denotes having in one's care or charge, as for guarding or preservation: I left the package in my mother's keeping. Possession means holding, ownership, or mastery: Leave it in possession of its owner.
Other Word Forms
- custodial adjective
Etymology
Origin of custody
1400–50; late Middle English custodye < Latin custōdia “a watching, watchman,” equivalent to custōd- (stem of custōs ) “keeper” + -ia -y 3
Explanation
When you are legally responsible for another person, they are in your custody. Most parents have custody over their children. The word custody brings with it the meaning of care for. When someone is in your custody, it is not just that they reside with you, it is that you are responsible for taking good care of them. If you are arrested, you will be taken into police custody. While there in jail, it is their responsibility to protect you from harm.
Vocabulary lists containing custody
Holes
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Police said they removed Lewis for his safety from hospital to the Northern Territory capital of Darwin, where he was being held in custody.
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
"The 'designated residence' mentioned in the order will remain under their direct custody and control," they said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026
The police later detained the man, who was initially taken to hospital before being discharged and taken to a London police station, where he remains in custody.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Did two of El Chapo’s sons who are in U.S. custody, Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López, provide information to U.S. authorities that led to the charges?
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Right before the court date, I spent one whole Saturday night on my laptop, researching custody laws in Ohio.
From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
