détenu

noun

dé·​te·​nu
variants or détenue
¦dātᵊn¦(y)ü,
F dātnᵫ̅
plural -s
: a detained person
especially : a political prisoner in India

Word History

Etymology

French détenu (masculine), détenue (feminine), from détenu, past participle of détenir to detain, from Old French detenir

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near détenu

Cite this Entry

“Détenu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d%C3%A9tenu. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!