custody

noun
UK: /ˈkʌstədi/
US: /ˈkʌstədi/

  1. The legal right to take care of a child after their parents have separated or divorced.

    1. Who has custody of the children? [ ] [ ]
    2. The courts awarded the mother sole custody of the three children after a lengthy legal battle. [ ] [ ]

  2. The state of being held by the police or other authority.

    1. He is now in custody. [ ] [ ]
    2. The suspect was taken into custody after a brief chase through the downtown area. [ ] [ ]

  3. The act of protecting or guarding something.

    1. The documents are in safe custody. [ ] [ ]
    2. The museum places a high priority on the safe custody of its priceless artifacts. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

care protection detention supervision

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "custody" in English means: The legal right to take care of a child after their parents have separated or divorced., The state of being held by the police or other authority., The act of protecting or guarding something..

The phonetic transcription of "custody" is /ˈkʌstədi/ in British English and /ˈkʌstədi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "custody": care, protection, detention, supervision.

Example usage of "custody": "Who has custody of the children?". More examples on the page.