the condition of being captive; imprisonment the period of imprisonment
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cap•tiv•i•ty /kæpˈtɪvɪti/USA pronunciation
n. [countable* uncountable], pl. -ties.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the state or period of being held, imprisoned, enslaved, or confined;
servitude or bondage;
imprisonment.
cap•tiv•i•ty
(kap tiv′i tē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ties.
- the state or period of being held, imprisoned, enslaved, or confined.
- Judaism, Religion(cap.) See Babylonian captivity.
- Latin captīvitās. See captive, -ity
- Old French)
- Middle English captivite (1275–1325
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged bondage, servitude, slavery, thralldom, subjection; imprisonment, confinement, incarceration.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged freedom.
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'in captivity' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):