prison

[ priz-uhn ]

noun

1. a building for the confinement of persons held while awaiting trial, persons sentenced after conviction, etc.
2. state prison.
3. any place of confinement or involuntary restraint.
4. imprisonment.

prison

/ ˈprɪzən /

noun

1. a public building used to house convicted criminals and accused persons remanded in custody and awaiting trial See also jail penitentiary reformatory
2. any place of confinement or seeming confinement

Other Words From

• prison·like adjective
• post·prison adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of prison¹

before 1150; Middle English prison, earlier prisun < Old French, variant of preson imprisonment, a prison < Latin pre ( hē ) nsiōn- (stem of prehēnsiō ) a seizure, arrest, equivalent to prehēns ( us ) (past participle of prehendere to seize) + -iōn- -ion; doublet of prehension

Word History and Origins

Origin of prison¹

C12: from Old French prisun, from Latin prēnsiō a capturing, from prehendere to lay hold of

Example Sentences

In August the BBC had learned that the prison system "came within 100 places" of running out of space altogether.

From BBC

The government brought in rules to allow certain prisoners to be released earlier to deal with what it said was a "crisis in prison places".

From BBC

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 48 years in prison.

From BBC

The father of young woman shot dead on Christmas Eve said the early release of her killer's accomplice due to prison overcrowding "makes a mockery" of justice.

From BBC

She served more than a year here for money laundering, and claims she was sexually harassed by a male prison officer.

From BBC

Related Words

• confinement
• jail
• lockup
• penitentiary