incarceration

[ in-kahr-suh-rey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of incarcerating, or putting in prison or another enclosure:

   The rate of incarceration has increased dramatically.

Word History and Origins

Origin of incarceration¹

First recorded in 1530–40; from French incarcération, from Latin incarcerātiōn-, stem of incarcerātiō, equivalent to incarcerāt(us), past participle of incarcerāre “to imprison” + -iō -ion ( def ); incarcerate ( def )

Example Sentences

Māoris make up about 18% of New Zealand's population, though many remain disadvantaged compared to the general population when assessed through markers such as health outcomes, household income, education levels and incarceration and mortality rates.

From BBC

“There needs to be arrest, prosecution and incarceration. And if we don't do that, then there's no such thing as sanctions.”

From BBC

Of those, 590 were charged with assaulting, resisting, impeding or obstructing law enforcement officers, and 645 have been sentenced to some period of incarceration, the department said.

From Los Angeles Times

Spolin worked for the Bronx district attorney’s office before moving to L.A. and launching a practice focused on representing inmates under a raft of laws meant to reduce mass incarceration.

From Los Angeles Times

She focused on alternatives to incarceration and promised to prosecute police misconduct.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• captivity
• confinement