détenue

Détenue is the feminine form of the past participle of the verb détenir, meaning to hold or keep in custody. In everyday and legal usage, la détenue designates a woman who is in police custody, detention, or imprisonment. The masculine counterpart is le détenu. As a noun, détenue emphasizes the status of a person under custody rather than the outcome of a legal process.

In legal contexts, detention can be pre-trial, such as détention provisoire or détention préventive, or it can refer to confinement following a conviction. The term détenue is therefore commonly used to describe a woman who is in custody during investigation, trial, or serving a sentence, depending on the jurisdiction and the stage of the proceedings. It is important to distinguish détenir-related terms: emprisonnée or incarcérée often indicate imprisonment after a conviction, whereas détenue highlights custody status.

Usage notes and variations: the word is widely used across Francophone regions, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec. It is typically neutral, though it can carry legal or bureaucratic connotations depending on context. As with many French nouns, the gender and number must agree with the noun it modifies: une détenue, des détenues.

See also: détention, détenu, emprisonnement, incarcération, détention provisoire, détention préventive.