Meaning
hostage
In a sentence
La polizia ha liberato l'ostaggio ieri sera.
The police freed the hostage last night.
Chi tiene in ostaggio il tuo amico?
Who is holding your friend hostage?
Non siamo ostaggi di questa situazione.
We are not hostages of this situation.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| ostaggio | masculine · singular |
| ostaggi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use tenere in ostaggio for ongoing situations; prendere in ostaggio for the moment of capture.
- Ostaggio is usually common gender: l'ostaggio, gli ostaggi. Gender is shown by article or context, not a different noun form.
- Often used figuratively in news and politics: essere ostaggio di qualcosa means to be trapped or controlled by it.