captive
[kap-tiv]
- a prisoner.
- a person who is enslaved or dominated; slave: He is the captive of his own fears.
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- made or held prisoner, especially in war: captive troops.
- kept in confinement or restraint: captive animals.
- enslaved by love, beauty, etc.; captivated: her captive beau.
- of or relating to a captive.
- managed as an affiliate or subsidiary of a corporation and operated almost exclusively for the use or needs of the parent corporation rather than independently for the general public: a captive shop; a captive mine.
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Origin of captive
1300–50; Middle English (< Middle French) < Latin captīvus, equivalent to capt(us) taken (past participle of capere to take) + -īvus -ive
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
incommunicado, imprisoned, enslaved, hostage, prisoner, slave, detainee, bound, convict, con, bondwoman, internee, bondman, confined, restricted, ensnared, incarcerated, penned, bewitched, charmedExamples from the Web for captive
Contemporary Examples
Sabrine reports that the latest demands by ISIS militants are three prisoners for every captive soldier.
This time the captive was forced to make a speech blaming the British government for his death.
Italy has been known to pay ransom for its captive nationals in the past.
Families of Italian Aid Workers Held by ISIS Fear for Their Lives After Foley's DeathBarbie Latza Nadeau
August 22, 2014
The oldest of the captive sisters was pretending to be the mother of the youngest girl, hoping they would be kept together.
Hanifa's Story: Her Five Sisters Taken by ISIS to Be Sold or WorseChristine van den Toorn
August 19, 2014
Asian slapstick humor does not translate well, and most of the captive audience agreed, although they grudgingly watched it.
Historical Examples
Shortly after, the captive Duke was one morning found weeping.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward IICharlotte Mary Yonge
"Evidently they fell out about the possession of the captive," suggested von Horn.
The Monster MenEdgar Rice Burroughs
There were yet other rude experiences in store for the captive.
Johnny BearE. T. Seton
It reminds me, a captive by the waters of Babylon, that God is ever with the friendless.
Leila, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
In one of these toads and adders were the companions of the captive.
English VillagesP. H. Ditchfield
captive
- a person or animal that is confined or restrained, esp a prisoner of war
- a person whose behaviour is dominated by some emotiona captive of love
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- held as prisoner
- held under restriction or control; confinedcaptive water held behind a dam
- captivated; enraptured
- unable by circumstances to avoid speeches, advertisements, etc (esp in the phrase captive audience)
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Word Origin
C14: from Latin captīvus, from capere to take
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for captive
adj.
late 14c., "imprisoned, enslaved," from Latin captivus "caught, taken prisoner," from captus, past participle of capere "to take, hold, seize" (see capable). As a noun from c.1400; an Old English noun was hæftling, from hæft "taken, seized."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper