custody
[ kuhs-tuh-dee ]
/ ˈkʌs tə di /
noun, plural cus·to·dies.
keeping; guardianship; care.
the keeping or charge of officers of the law: The car was held in the custody of the police.
imprisonment; legal restraint: He was taken into custody.
Also called child custody. Law.
the right of determining the residence, protection, care, and education of a minor child or children, especially in a divorce or separation.
Compare joint custody, sole custody.
Origin of custody
1400–50; late Middle English
custodye < Latin
custōdia “a watching, watchman,” equivalent to
custōd- (stem of
custōs) “keeper” +
-ia
-y3
synonym study for custody
1.
Custody,
keeping,
possession imply a guardianship or care for something.
Custody denotes a strict keeping, as by a formally authorized and responsible guardian or keeper:
in the custody of the sheriff.
Keeping denotes having in one's care or charge, as for guarding or preservation:
I left the package in my mother's keeping.
Possession means holding, ownership, or mastery:
Leave it in possession of its owner.
Words nearby custody
Example sentences from the Web for custody
British Dictionary definitions for custody
custody
/ (ˈkʌstədɪ) /
noun plural -dies
the act of keeping safe or guarding, esp the right of guardianship of a minor
the state of being held by the police; arrest (esp in the phrases in custody, take into custody)
Derived forms of custody
custodial (kʌˈstəʊdɪəl), adjectiveWord Origin for custody
C15: from Latin
custōdia, from
custōs guard, defender