detainee
UK: dɪˌteɪˈniː | US: dɪˌteɪˈniː
n. a person held in custody, especially for political reasons or without trial.
detainee = detain<hold back> + ee<person who receives the action>
- detain: From Old French detenir (to hold off, delay), derived from Latin detinēre (de- "away" + tenēre "to hold").
- ee: A suffix of Anglo-Norman origin, indicating "one who is the object of an action" (e.g., employee, nominee).
Etymology Origin:
The word detainee emerged in the early 19th century, combining detain (to hold someone back) with the legal suffix -ee. It reflects a passive role—someone subjected to detention, often in contexts like wartime internment or administrative custody. The structure mirrors other legal terms (lessee, trustee), emphasizing the recipient of an action.
The detainee was released after questioning by the authorities.
Human rights groups protested the treatment of political detainees.
The camp housed hundreds of wartime detainees.
Lawyers demanded access to the detainee’s case files.
The detainee claimed innocence throughout the trial.