die Gefangenschaft
captivity
Definition & meaning
Gefangenschaft refers to the state of being held captive or imprisoned. It describes the condition where a person or an animal is deprived of their freedom and is kept in a restricted area against their will.
The term is commonly used in two main contexts:
- Human context: It often refers to prisoners of war (Kriegsgefangenschaft ) or people held in custody.
- Animal context: It refers to animals kept in zoos, laboratories, or as pets, as opposed to living in the wild.
Grammar & Word origin
The word is a feminine noun: die Gefangenschaft. While it technically has a plural form (Gefangenschaften), it is almost exclusively used in the singular.
It is a compound noun consisting of two parts:
- gefangen: This is the past participle of the verb fangen , which means "to catch" or "to capture."
- -schaft: This is a common German suffix used to form abstract nouns indicating a state, condition, or a collective group (similar to the English suffixes "-ship" or "-hood").
Therefore, the word literally translates to "the state of being caught."
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- die Haft : Usually refers to legal imprisonment or being in jail.
- der Arrest : A more formal or military term for detention.
- der Freiheitsentzug : A legal term meaning "deprivation of liberty."
- die Internierung : Often used for the confinement of enemy citizens or soldiers during wartime.
Antonyms:
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Examples
Die Gefangenschaft dauert bereits viele Jahre.noun
The captivity has already lasted many years.
Viele Tiere leiden in der Gefangenschaft unter Stress.noun
Many animals suffer from stress in captivity.
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