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

See Examples For:

detainee

If a legislator is visiting for an inspection, they are now required to present privacy waivers for each detainee they want to speak with, which must be signed by the detainee.

From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026

The properties largely weren’t zoned for detention and didn’t have working plumbing to support large detainee populations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Moving forward, members must identify detainees by name at least two business days in advance of a visit and provide a signed consent form from each detainee.

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

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