The state of being imprisoned, confined, or held against one's will. Often refers to the condition of animals kept in zoos or people held as prisoners.
From Latin 'captivitas', from 'captivus' meaning 'prisoner' or 'captive', derived from 'capere' 'to take or seize'. The word emphasizes the state or condition rather than the act of capturing.
Captivity carries a profound ambiguity - it can preserve life (as in wildlife conservation) while restricting freedom, creating ethical dilemmas that ancient languages couldn't anticipate. The word forces us to confront the complex relationship between safety and liberty.
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