detainee

American  

[dih-tey-nee, dee-tey-nee] / dɪˈteɪ ni, ˌdi teɪˈni /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of detainee

First recorded in 1925–30; detain + -ee

Explanation

A prisoner is sometimes called a detainee, especially if they're being held by a government or its military forces. Political prisoners are often referred to as detainees, as are people captured by armed forces. Legally, anyone who is being temporarily held or detained until they can be tried in a court is also called a detainee. An inmate or prisoner, on the other hand, has been convicted and imprisoned as part of a legal sentence. Detainee and detain come from the Latin root detinere, "to hold off or hold back."

Example Sentences

Lawmakers sometimes request to speak with a particular kind of detainee — for example, people held longer than 90 days — and Lyons said meeting such requests takes up too much time.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

When a detainee is located, it is sometimes possible to use the Russian prison administration's online platform to write to them.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

As of Tuesday morning, charges had not been filed against the second detainee.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Despite growing resistance from some state and local leaders, the administration seeks to open additional ICE facilities in warehouses across Texas and the country to handle an exploding detainee population.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

The detainee who is wise enough to realize this will never find any cause for complaint, but only all conceivable help, to erase the memory of what he had been accused of.

From My Life and My Efforts by Olesch, Gunther

Related Words

• hostage
• prisoner
• prisoner of war
• slave