One who traps a person or animal (6) Crossword Clue
Answer: CAPTOR (6 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "One who traps a person or animal" with 6 letters is "CAPTOR".Captor refers to a person who captures or confines another person or animal, typically holding them against their will. It is often used in contexts such as kidnappings or animal trapping, where the captor maintains control over the captive.
Why "Captor" Fits
The clue asks for a single word (6 letters) meaning "one who traps a person or animal." The answer, CAPTOR, fits perfectly:
- One who traps a person or animal: Captor is the standard term for anyone who catches, seizes, or holds a person or creature against their will—matching the clue’s definition exactly.
- Direct match: With six letters, captor fits the enumeration precisely.
- Precise meaning: The word refers to both humans and animals who are taken and held by someone else, whether lawfully (as in law enforcement) or unlawfully (as in kidnapping or animal trapping).
Captor is widely used in both legal, news, and everyday contexts:
Origin and usage:
- From Latin captor (“one who seizes”), a straightforward noun form built from “to capture.”
- Used for kidnappers, police, hunters, or anyone who imprisons or restricts another’s freedom.
Examples and context:
- “The police negotiated with the captor for the children’s release.”
- “The animal escaped its captor and returned to the wild.”
- “After days in captivity, the hostage learned to communicate with his captor.”
In quick crosswords like “One who traps a person or animal (6),” clues for roles or agents favor direct, active nouns:
Definition: “One who traps” is a textbook clue for captor, which takes the root “capture” and transforms it into a doer noun.
Clue type: Standard agent noun—easy for solvers familiar with English verb-noun patterns.
Solving approach:
- For six-letter agent nouns about trapping, “captor” is the exact fit; alternatives like “trapper” (7) or “seizer” (6, rare) are less common or slightly different in nuance.
Crossword pattern: Nouns for actors and agents—captor, hunter, finder, robber—are a mainstay in all levels of puzzles.
