/ ˈkæptɪv; NAmE / adjective , noun
■ adjective
1.
kept as a prisoner or in a confined space; unable to escape :
captive animals
They were taken captive by masked gunmen.
captive breeding (= the catching and breeding of wild animals)
➡ note at prisoner
2.
[ only before noun ] not free to leave a particular place or to choose what you want do to :
A salesman loves to have a captive audience (= listening because they have no choice) .
■ noun
a person who is kept as a prisoner, especially in a war
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin captivus , from capere seize, take.