carceral

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)ker-“to bend, turn, in the sense of an enclosure”
2. Latin · derived fromcarcer“jail, prison”
3. Late Latin · derived fromcarcerālis“carceral”
4. English todaycarceral

From Late Latin carcerālis (“carceral”), from Latin carcer (“jail, prison”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to bend, turn, in the sense of an enclosure”)) + -ālis (suffix forming relational adjectives).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from late 16th c. Of or pertaining to imprisonment or a prison.