detention

Definition of detention

Noun

detention (countable and uncountable; plural detentions)

1. (uncountable) The act of detaining or the state of being detained.
2. (countable) A temporary state of custody or confinement, especially of a prisoner awaiting trial, or of a student being punished.

Derived terms

• detention basin
• detention home

Further reading

Detention (imprisonment)

Detention generally refers to a state or government holding a person in a particular area (generally called a detention centre), either for interrogation, as punishment for a crime (see prison), or as a precautionary measure while that person is suspected of posing a potential threat.

The term can also be used in reference to the holding of property, for the same reasons. The process of detainment may or may not have been preceded with arrest. The prisoners in Guantánamo Bay are for example referred to as "detainees".

Any form of imprisonment can be called detention, although the term is associated with persons who are being held without warrant or charge.