noun · neutral
custody
/ˈkʌstədi/CUS·to·dy
Band 5-6speakingtask2
the legal right to take care of a child; the state of being kept by someone (legal care)
Examples
“After the divorce he was granted custody of the younger child.”
“They fought a long legal battle over custody.”
“The siblings now share joint custody so the children split time between both houses.”
Band 8 sentence
“In their settlement they agreed on joint custody, which reduced disruption for the children and allowed both parents to remain involved.”
Collocations
- have custody of
- joint custody
- sole custody
Word family
custodial adjectivecustodian noun
Common mistakes
have a custody of→have custody of
adopt→foster / have custody
Say it for a higher band
5care→6guardianship→7+custody
Synonyms
guardianship
Easily confused
custodian
“The custodian locked the doors after the exhibition closed.”
Related words
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In Family & Relationships
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