Captivar

Captivar
 

This word is used in an exercise that I am completing. Google translate says that it means "captivate", but it doesn't show up in Tomisimo's dictionary or WordReference. The RAE says that it is "desusada". Is it really not used at all? Why would a book use an unused word in an exercise?????? :thinking:

Probably the automated Spanish spelling checker didn't catch that the writer was thinking in English.

So it's not used? I should probably use "cautivar"?

Yes, you should. "Captivar" sounds very weird because "cautivar" comes from "captivare" and it is a very old word, so the word probably re-entered the language again in 1400 or 1600 but it should have remain some time a learned word soon forgotten.

Gracias!!