detenido

Detenido is the participle of the Spanish verb detener, meaning to stop, to delay, or to detain. In legal and police language, detenido refers to a person who has been deprived of liberty by authorities, typically for purposes of investigation or judicial processing. As a noun, el detenido or la detenida designates a detainee or arrestee and is commonly used in official statements and news reporting.

Detention in Spanish-speaking contexts is described by detención, and the scope and duration of detention can vary by jurisdiction. In many systems, detención is used for short-term police custody during an investigation, while arresto refers to a more formal action. Some jurisdictions distinguish detención administrativa, a detention by civil authorities for security, immigration, or administrative reasons, from detención judicial or detención preventiva, orders issued by a court to ensure appearance or to prevent interference with the investigation prior to trial. The status of a detenido may be temporary, or it may lead to formal charges, further detention, or release depending on the outcome of the process.

In everyday language, detenido is widely used to describe someone who has been stopped or arrested, as in "El sospechoso fue detenido por la policía." The term can also appear in headlines and reports to indicate custody.

Etymology: Detenido derives from detener, which shares roots with English detain and French détenir. See also detención, arresto, and privación de libertad.