a state of being confined (usually for a short time)
"his detention was politically motivated"
"the prisoner is on hold"
"he is in the custody of police"
The legal right to take care of something or somebody, especially children.
"After the divorce, the father was granted full custody of his two young daughters."
In plain English: Custody is when someone has legal responsibility for taking care of another person, usually a child.
"The mother has full custody of her children after they divorced."
Usage: In family law contexts, custody specifically refers to the legal authority granted to a parent to make decisions and provide daily care for their child. When discussing this topic, distinguish it from "visitation," which describes scheduled time spent with the non-custodial parent rather than primary responsibility.
Borrowed from Latin custōdia ("a keeping, watch, guard, prison"), from custōs ("a keeper, watchman, guard"). Doublet of custode.