/ Dictionary / Index D detention: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: de•ten•tion Pronunciation: (di-ten'shun), [key] — n. the act of detaining. the state of being detained. maintenance of a person in custody or confinement, esp. while awaiting a court decision. the withholding of what belongs to or is claimed by another. —adj. of or pertaining to detention or used to detain: the detention room of a police station. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: detention (Thesaurus) détente detention camp Related Content Daily Word Quiz: lyceum Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language