'POW' originates from the English phrase 'prisoner of war', where 'prisoner' meant 'a person captured and kept in confinement' and 'war' referred to 'armed conflict'.

The abbreviation 'POW' was derived from the phrase 'prisoner of war' and became widely used during the 20th century, especially in the context of World War II.

Initially, it meant 'a person captured during war', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.