Word
detainee
Phoneticsde·tainee
US/ˌditeɪˈni/
UK/dɪtˈeɪniː/
Definition
n. a person who is being held in a place like a prison or a police station. This is a formal word often used in news reports or legal documents.
n. a person who is being held in custody, typically by a government or law enforcement agency. Often used in legal or journalistic contexts to describe individuals in a neutral or official capacity.
Examples
“The detainee was released after the police finished their investigation.”
“The lawyer met with the detainee to discuss the charges and prepare a defense strategy.”
“International human rights organizations monitored the conditions of the detainee to ensure that the facility met the minimum standards for humane treatment and medical care.”
Examples
simple
“The detainee was released after the police finished their investigation.”
contextual
“The lawyer met with the detainee to discuss the charges and prepare a defense strategy.”
complex
“International human rights organizations monitored the conditions of the detainee to ensure that the facility met the minimum standards for humane treatment and medical care.”
Real-World Examples
“Judge Jorge Zapatero Soria charged the detainee with an environmental crime, which is punishable by up to six years in prison.” “As of this month, around 1,300 detainees from Gaza were being held in Israeli jails without charge or trial, according to the Israeli human rights group HaMoked.” “As minister, he has championed the death penalty as a default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks , and has boasted of deliberately worsening conditions in Israeli prisons holding Palestinian detainees.” Etymology
From detain + -ee.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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