internment camp

noun

a concentration camp, especially a non-Nazi one from before or during WWII; a detention center; a relocation camp.

“Historical references describe the camps as internment camps, although others favor the name relocation camps. Others, more critical of this action, refer to them as detention camps or concentration camps.”

Similar
prison campprisoner of war campPOW camp

Meanings

nouninternment camp (plural internment camps)

plural internment camps

  1. euphemistica concentration camp, especially a non-Nazi one from before or during WWII; a detention center; a relocation camp.

    Historical references describe the camps as internment camps, although others favor the name relocation camps. Others, more critical of this action, refer to them as detention camps or concentration camps.

    1 more example

    People assigned to the factories appear to be subject to a less stringent regime than those in the main internment camps, as they are allowed to receive monitored monthly visits and short calls from family members.

    2018, Emily Feng, “Forced labour being used in China’s ‘re-education’ camps”, in Financial Times

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna camp for prisoners of war

Similar
prison campprisoner of war campPOW camp
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Arabic مُعَسْكَر اِعْتِقَال
  • مُعَسْكَر اِعْتِقَال (muʕaskar iʕtiqāl)euphemism
Chinese Mandarin 拘禁營 /拘禁营
  • 拘禁營 /拘禁营euphemism
Danish interneringslejr
  • interneringslejreuphemism
Dutch interneringskamp, strafkamp
  • interneringskampeuphemism
  • strafkampeuphemism
Finnish järjestelyleiri
  • järjestelyleirieuphemism
French camp d'internement
  • camp d'internementeuphemism
German Internierungslager
  • Internierungslagereuphemism
Hebrew מַחֲנֵה מַעֲצָר
  • מַחֲנֵה מַעֲצָר (makhané ma'atsár)euphemism
Polish obóz dla internowanych
  • obóz dla internowanycheuphemism
Swedish interneringsläger
  • interneringslägereuphemism
Cite this entry
APA

internment camp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/internment%20camp

MLA

“internment camp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/internment%20camp. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “internment camp,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/internment%20camp.

Source: internment camp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.