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Meaning of hostage
A person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition.
Etymology of hostage
The word "hostage" originates from the Old French word "ostage," meaning "a person given as a pledge" or "a person held as a guarantee," which is derived from the Latin word "hostaticum," meaning "a hostage" or "a pledge."
Historically, hostages were used as a means of ensuring the fulfillment of a condition, such as the payment of a ransom or the completion of a task.
Synonyms
captive
prisoner
detainee
POW
hostage
prisoner of war
abductee
kidnappee
seizure
captive
confinement
internment
imprisonment
incarceration
detention
restraint
sequestration
isolation
quarantine
confinement
arrest
apprehension
seizure
capture
abduction
kidnapping
hijack
skyjacking
Definitions
- A person seized or held as security for the fulfillment of a condition, such as the payment of a ransom.
- * A person, group, or organization that is being held or threatened in order to force someone or something to do something.
Usage Examples
- The terrorists took several hostages and demanded a ransom in exchange for their safe release.
- * The company is being held hostage by the union's demands for higher wages and better benefits.
Antonyms
liberator
emancipator
rescuer
savior
deliverer
redeemer
freer
releaser
pardoner
acquitter
exonerator
vindicator
champion
defender
protector
guardian
safeguard
security
freedom
release
liberation
emancipation