n. & adj.
n. a person or animal that has been taken prisoner or confined.
adj. 1 a taken prisoner. b kept in confinement or under restraint. 2 a unable to escape. b in a position of having to comply (captive audience; captive market). 3 of or like a prisoner (captive state). captive balloon a balloon held by a rope from the ground.
[ ME f. L captivus f. capere capt- take ]