detainee

[dih-tey-nee, dee-tey-nee]

noun

1. a person held in custody, especially for a political offense or for questioning.

Word History and Origins

Origin of detainee¹

First recorded in 1925–30; detain + -ee

Example Sentences

There are around 350 Palestinian child security detainees being held in Israeli jails, according to the Israeli Prison Service.

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"All the detainees want is to defend themselves directly before you."

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But there are around 350 Palestinian child security detainees being held in Israeli jails, according to the Israeli Prison Service.

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Beccuau said all four detainees came from the Paris region, without disclosing further details.

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U.S. military commanders and regional security experts have warned that the detainee population is an unresolved security dilemma threatening a new and uncertain Syria.

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Related Words

• hostage 
• prisoner 
• prisoner of war 
• slave