dungeon

American  

[duhn-juhn] / ˈdʌn dʒən /

noun

1. a strong, dark prison or cell, usually underground, as in a medieval castle.

2. the keep or stronghold of a castle; donjon.

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dungeon British  

/ ˈdʌndʒən /

noun

1. a close prison cell, often underground

2. a variant of donjon

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Etymology

Origin of dungeon

1250–1300; Middle English dungeo ( u ) n, dongeoun, dungun < Middle French donjon < Vulgar Latin *domniōn- (stem of *domniō ) keep, mastery, syncopated variant of *dominiōn- dominion

Explanation

That dank, stone-walled underground prison where wretched prisoners were kept manacled in medieval days? That was a dungeon, otherwise known as the "keep," and most familiar to us today from a million video games and movies. In fact, the original meaning of dungeon was of something overground rather than underground, coming from the Old French term donjon, meaning the "great tower of a castle," and the underground meaning only came later. Rapunzel in the fairy tale was held captive in a tower rather than an underground cell and if she hadn't been, her long hair wouldn't have been much help in her escape.

Example Sentences

In “Twenty-Sided Tavern,” there are three core actors playing and acting out the game, one dungeon master and a sort of tavern keeper helping to keep score and track of the story.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

The dungeon is full of weird, pulsing, half-sentient creatures — more slime than steak.

From Salon • May 12, 2025

At least two other Texas prisons, the Gib Lewis Unit and the John B. Connally Unit, have their own version of the dungeon.

From Slate • Oct. 20, 2024

Not another cooking game, but instead a new take on a dungeon crawler where you can team up with your friends to survive in a twisted reality show competition.

From BBC • Aug. 21, 2024

When the Patronuses glided out of the dungeon there were cries of shock from the people waiting outside.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• torture chamber