Pronunciation: [kˈaptə] (IPA) 
The word "captor" is spelled with two syllables: "cap" and "tor". The "a" in the first syllable is pronounced as the short vowel sound /æ/ as in "cat". The "o" in the second syllable is pronounced as the long vowel sound /ɔ/ as in "law". The letter "t" in the second syllable is pronounced with a "t" sound /t/. The phonetic transcription of "captor" is /ˈkæptɔːr/.
A captor is an individual or entity that seizes, apprehends, or detains another person against their will. The term captor commonly refers to someone who captures or exercises control over another individual, typically resulting in their confinement, captivity, or subjugation. The captor is often considered an aggressor, forcefully restricting the freedom, movement, or agency of the captive.
A captor can range from a criminal who abducts someone for ransom or other malicious intent to a military or law enforcement personnel who apprehends suspects or enemy combatants. The role of a captor implies a position of power or control over the captive, as they dictate the terms of the detainment.
The actions of a captor may vary in severity, ranging from the use of physical force or coercion to psychological manipulation or intimidation. This definition implies a lack of consent from the individual being held captive, as their freedom to act, move, or make choices is impeded against their will.
The captor-captive relationship often represents an imbalance of power, with the captor exerting dominance and control over the captive. A captor may seek various objectives, such as gaining leverage, extracting information, exercising authority, or simply fulfilling personal desires. This term is frequently used in legal, military, and criminal contexts, where the captor's actions are subject to scrutiny and potential legal repercussions.
One who seizes or captures, as a ship.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "captor" comes from the Latin verb "capere", meaning "to seize" or "to take". In Latin, the noun form of the verb is "captus", which means "a taking" or "a capturing". The word "captor" derives from this Latin noun form and has retained its meaning of "one who captures or seizes" in English.
