imprisonment

[ im-priz-uhn-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of confining in or as if in a prison; the state of being so confined:

   Identity theft and computer fraud are criminal offenses punishable by imprisonment.

   Winter up there means cumbersome living and imprisonment in an icy hell.

Word History and Origins

Origin of imprisonment¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Old French emprisonnement, equivalent to imprison ( def ) + -ment ( def )

Related Words

• captivity
• confinement
• custody
• incarceration
• isolation