French word

otage

Pronunciation

IPA/otaʒ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhostage

Example

Les otages sont retenus dans le bâtiment.

The hostages are being held in the building.

Illustration for otage (hostage)

More examples

Ils ont pris plusieurs otages pendant le braquage.

They took several hostages during the robbery.

Core concept

A person held like a bargaining token while someone else is pressured.

Common phrases

  • prendre des otages

    take hostages

  • libérer les otages

    release the hostages

  • tenir en otage

    hold hostage

Similar words

prisonnier: A person taken captive in war or through legal proceedings and kept in confinement.
détenu: A person held temporarily by authorities during a police or court process.

Definition in French

Personne retenue contre sa volonté afin de contraindre une autre personne, un groupe ou une autorité à satisfaire des demandes.

Word origin

French otage comes through Old French ostage from Latin obsidaticum, a term related to obses for a person held as security.

Usage tips

  • The fixed expression tenir quelqu'un en otage uses en, not dans, before otage.

Word lists with this word