detention
English · Thesaurus
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detention¹
- /dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Middle French détention, from Latin detentio, detentionem. Equivalent to detain + -tion.
noun detentions
-
The act of detaining or the state of being detained; hindrance.
Detain not the wages of the hireling: for every degree of detention of it beyond the time is injuſtice, and uncharitableneſs, and grindes his face til tears and blood come out: […]
Similar: delay, hindrance, impediment, retardation
- Confinement of a prisoner awaiting trial.
- A punishment given to a student for a minor infraction, typically requiring the student to report to a designated room during recess or outside of school hours to work on homework or perform busywork. be stuck in detention
- The bare physical control without the mental element of intention required for possession.
Detention²
proper noun
- A locality in Circular Head Council, north western Tasmania, Australia.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: confinement, custody, hold, holdup, delay, detainment, detainee, detaining, corrections, prisoner, incarceration, jailing, captivity, inmate, imprisonment, gaol
Translations
Every language
noun act or state
| 한국어 | 구류 guryu, 억류 eongnyu |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 拘留 kōryū, 拘置 kōchi, 抑留 yokuryū |
| 中文 | 拘留 jūliú, 扣押 kòuyā |
| Kiswahili | kizuizini |
| Français | détention, arrestation |
| Deutsch | Haft, Gewahrsam |
| Русский | задержа́ние zaderžánije, аре́ст arést |
noun holding in one's control with no intention to possess
| Español | mera tenencia |
|---|---|
| Português | detenção |
| Français | détention |
| Deutsch | Innehabung, Detention |
| Italiano | detenzione |
noun custody of a prisoner awaiting trial
| Español | detención |
|---|---|
| Kiswahili | kizuizini |
| Русский | содержа́ние под стра́жей soderžánije pod strážej, аре́ст arést |
| Tiếng Việt | sự giam giữ, sự giam cầm, sự cầm tù |
| العربية | تَوْقِيف tawqīf |
noun punishment given to a student for a minor infraction
| Español | detención |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 留校察看 liúxiàochákàn |
| Kiswahili | kizuizini |
| Français | retenue |
| Deutsch | Nachsitzen |
| Русский | оставле́ние ostavlénije |
| Tiếng Việt | sự cấm túc |
Talk about this word "detention." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/detention. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. detention. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/detention "detention." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/detention.Cite this
@misc{detention_2026,
title = {detention},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/detention},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
