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captive
[ kap-tiv ]
/ ˈkæp tɪv /
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noun
a prisoner.
a person who is enslaved or dominated: He is the captive of his own fears.
adjective
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Origin of captive
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English or directly from Middle French, from Latin captīvus, equivalent to capt(us) “taken” (past participle of capere “to take”) + -īvus adjective suffix (see -ive)
OTHER WORDS FROM captive
non·cap·tive, adjectivepseu·do·cap·tive, adjectiveWords nearby captive
CAPTCHA, caption, captious, captivate, captivating, captive, captive audience, captive market, captivity, captopril, captor
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use captive in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for captive
captive
/ (ˈkæptɪv) /
noun
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
adjective
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)
Word Origin for captive
C14: from Latin captīvus, from capere to take
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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