captivity
/kæpˈtɪvɪti/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: captivities
Sense 1
Meaning · English
The state of being captive.
Noun
Examples
held in captivity
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The state or period of being imprisoned, confined, or enslaved.
Noun
Examples
long captivity
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “captivity” mean?
The state of being captive.
Is “captivity” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.