## Meanings
1. The legal right and duty to care for someone, especially a child.
2. The state of being held by the police, usually before a trial.
3. The temporary care or safekeeping of someone else's property.

## Examples
- The court awarded custody of the children to their mother.
- He was held in police custody overnight.
- My passport is in the custody of the hotel until I pay the bill.

## Derived Forms
- custodee

## Related Forms
- custodial
- custodian

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode.

## AI Etymology
Custody is borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode. The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as custodee and related forms such as custodial and custodian. In present use it covers the legal right and duty to care for someone, especially a child, the state of being held by the police, usually before a trial, and the temporary care or safekeeping of someone else's property.

## Topics
- Law & Government
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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custody

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