Prison
/ˈprɪz.ən/noun
A facility for the confinement of individuals convicted of crimes.
Did you know?The word 'prison' comes from the Latin 'prehendere', meaning 'to seize', revealing a history of captivity and control.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*preḱ-
“to seize or grasp”
Latin
Latin
prehendere
“to seize, capture, or take”
Old French
Old French
prison
“state of being confined, captivity”
Middle English
Middle English
prisoun
“confinement, captivity”
Modern English
English
prison
“a place of confinement for those guilty of crimes”
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