inmate
Americannoun
-
a person who is confined in a prison, hospital, etc.
-
Archaic. a person who dwells with others in the same house.
noun
-
a person who is confined to an institution such as a prison or hospital See also resident
-
obsolete a person who lives with others in a house
Etymology
Origin of inmate
Compare meaning
How does inmate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An inmate is a person who lives in a specific place, especially someone who's confined there, like a prisoner. You can call yourself an Inmate if you get sent to your room, but usually inmates are behind bars in "the big house." You can talk about a hospital inmate or the inmates at a local boarding school, but it's most common to use inmate and prisoner interchangeably. Originally, in the 16th century, an inmate was "one allowed to live in a house rented by another" — a roommate who's not on the lease, in other words. This meaning comes from in and mate, "friend or companion." By the 1830s, inmate had come to mean "one confined to an institution."
Vocabulary lists containing inmate
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ortiz was arraigned on Tuesday and is being held in a Los Angeles jail on bail of over $1.8 million, according to county inmate records and prosecutors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026
Although the Prison Service did not confirm the identity of the injured prisoner, it confirmed an inmate at HMP Frankland in County Durham is receiving treatment.
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
The inmate then can be released if the parole board determines they do not pose an unreasonable risk to public safety.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
Because most inmate releases are done during the daytime, prison staff had to be called back in to handle the paperwork and logistics of freeing an inmate.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
The subjects would range from report writing to the use of force, from penal law to “standards of inmate behavior,” from tool and key control to drug awareness.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
