ENGLISH
REFERENCE

captivity

n.
US //kæpˈtɪvəti// UK //kæptˈɪvɪti// cap·tiv·i·ty
  1. 1 confinement (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the state of being kept in a place like a zoo or a prison without the freedom to leave.

    the state of being imprisoned, enslaved, or confined. Uncountable in its general sense, though it can be countable when referring to specific instances of being held.

    Example

    The tiger was born in captivity and has never lived in the wild.

    Example

    Conservationists argue that while some species thrive in captivity, others suffer significant psychological distress when removed from their natural habitats.
  2. 2 a group of captives (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

    a group of people who have been captured or taken as prisoners.

    a collective noun referring to a body of captives or prisoners. This usage is largely restricted to historical or biblical contexts.

    Example

    The king led the captivity through the gates of the city.

    Example

    The ancient chronicles describe how the conqueror drove the entire captivity across the desert to his own capital.
Origin

From Middle English captivite, from Latin captīvitās. By surface analysis, captive + -ity. Entered into the English lexicon around the 14th century.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026