English → Latin
“detention” in Latin
retentiōa holding back; holding in; a withholding; a retaining, keeping back; preservation, maintenanceretardātiōhindering, delaying, retardinginclūsiōconfinement, imprisonmentcomprehēnsiōa seizing, taking hold of, catching; arrest, apprehension; a comprehension, perception, idea, understanding; an expressisōnsguilty; criminal
The English word detention itself goes back to Latin teneō, through detentio.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
detention
retentio (Cic., uses it of a driver’s pulling up his horses; in Dig. the unjust detention; e.g., dotis): retardatio (the act of delaying, etc.): Unless he has met with some detention on hisjourney, nisi quid impedimenti in via passus est.
Act of detaining as a prisoner or person under arrest, inclusio (incarceration; Cic.): comprehensio (act of seizing; e.g., sontium); but mostly by circumlocution.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for detention?
- The usual Latin words for “detention” are retentiō, retardātiō, inclūsiō; also comprehēnsiō, sōns. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.