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

The relatives of other political detainees in Saudi Arabia are paying close attention.

From Time

It happened in early June, a time in the pandemic when different agencies in charge of prison inmates and immigration detainees were developing different ways of dealing with viral spread.

From Washington Post

Those records also show that detainees put in deportation proceedings in July 2020 were twice as likely to opt for voluntary departure than those from a year before.

From Washington Post

Marshals Service detainees are all awaiting the completion of their court proceedings, meaning people often come and go as they are arrested, attend their court hearings and are sentenced.

From Voice of San Diego

In Otay Mesa, detainees were initially asked to sign a contract in order to receive a mask, the Union-Tribune reported in April.

From Voice of San Diego

In 2013, with a similar-size budget but more detainees, the cost worked out to about $2.7 million per detainee.

From The Daily Beast

His claim that taxpayers are spending millions of dollars for each detainee rates True.

From The Daily Beast

In November 2002, a detainee who had been held partially nude and chained to the floor died, apparently from hypothermia.

From The Daily Beast

During one session, detainee Abu Zubaydah became “completely unresponsive with bubbles rising through his open full mouth.”

From The Daily Beast

One detainee was bent over for a rectal feeding that involved Ensure, the protein shake.

From The Daily Beast

Whether this object has been attained or not is judged by the life and habits of the detainee on discharge.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• hostage
• prisoner
• prisoner of war
• slave