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 Word Forms

• prisonlike adjective
• postprison 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

Federal troops are wreaking havoc in the streets, people are being abducted and sent to prison camps — or disappeared entirely — and the military is executing orders to murder foreign civilians on the high seas.

From Salon

Stephen Lawrence's mother says her son's murderer David Norris remains a danger to the public and must remain in prison.

From BBC

The judge told the defendant, who had been on remand throughout his trial, that the options for his sentencing next month included prison or two types of hospital order.

From BBC

“It sounds silly to say you’re relieved to find out that your brother is in a prison, but I was relieved to learn at least that he was physically safe,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Mosley, who was 46 when he was jailed, was released on parole in 2021 before being sent back to prison the following year for breaching the terms of his release.

From BBC

Related Words

• confinement 
• jail 
• lockup 
• penitentiary