prisoner of war

noun phrase

: a person captured in war
especially : a member of the armed forces of a nation who is taken by the enemy during combat

Examples of prisoner of war in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The longtime McCain backer left the GOP and became an independent when Trump denigrated McCain for spending 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2024 One man might describe how he was tortured as a prisoner of war, or another might recall the day his brother was hauled away from their home, never to be seen again. Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 Colonialism’s wartime legacy A standout section on the global, colonial reach of the war includes a station featuring foreign-language recordings made by prisoners of war in German camps, some of which had not been translated until this show. Anne Wallentine, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Jan. 2024 The proposal also includes intermediary steps, such as securing Ukrainian nuclear sites, ensuring grain exports and exchanging prisoners of war. Jim Tankersley, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024 But a United Nations investigation eventually determined that an American rocket could not have struck the site and faulted Russia for detaining prisoners of war near the front line. Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Russian military plane crashes with 65 Ukrainian POWs on board A Russian military transport plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six crew and three people accompanying them crashed on Wednesday morning in Russia’s Belgorod region near Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 Russia on Wednesday accused Kyiv of shooting down a military transport plane, killing all 74 people on board including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Henry Austin, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2024 Unlike civilian hostages, soldiers taken captive are considered prisoners of war, a class that is protected but also accepted under international law, including the Geneva Accords. Christopher Maag, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prisoner of war.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prisoner of war was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near prisoner of war

Cite this Entry

“Prisoner of war.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prisoner%20of%20war. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prisoner of war

: a member of the armed forces of a nation who has been captured by the enemy

Legal Definition

prisoner of war

: a person captured in war
especially : a member of the armed forces of a nation who is taken by the enemy during combat

Note: Under the Third Geneva Convention, a person is a prisoner of war if he or she falls in one of the following categories: 1) a member of the armed forces of a party to the conflict or of a militia or volunteer corps that is part of the armed forces; 2) a member of another militia or volunteer corps who is a lawful combatant; 3) a member of regular armed forces who profess allegiance to a government or authority not recognized by his or her captor; 4) a person who accompanies the armed forces but is not a member of it provided they have proper authority to accompany it; 5) members of the merchant marine and crews of civil aircraft who do not fall under more favorable designations under international law; and 6) inhabitants of territory facing approach of the enemy who spontaneously resist invasion and carry arms openly and respect the laws of war. Prisoners of war are entitled to certain rights (as to humane treatment) under the Convention. Two further categories of people entitled to treatment as prisoners of war are 1) persons belonging or having belonged to the armed forces of an occupied country who were liberated but have been confined especially when they have tried to rejoin the armed forces or have not complied with a summons attempting to confine them; and 2) persons falling under any of the categories of those entitled to treatment as prisoners of war who are received by neutral countries that are required to confine them by international law, with certain exceptions specified in the Convention.

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