Meanings
nounprison (countable and uncountable, plural prisons)
plural prisons
- countableuncountableA place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.
The cold stone walls of the prison had stood for over a century.
- uncountableConfinement in prison (sense 1).
Prison was a harrowing experience for him.
Synonyms: imprisonment
- colloquialcountablefigurativelyuncountableAny restrictive environment, such as a harsh academy or home.
The academy was a prison for many of its students because of its strict teachers.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.
nounConfinement in prison (sense 1).
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nouna correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment
Similar
Broader
nouna prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement
Similar
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinprehensiōnem
- Old Frenchprison
- Old Englishprisūn
- Middle Englishprisoun
- Englishprison
From Middle English prisoun, prison, from Old English prisūn, a borrowing from Old French prison, from Latin prehensiōnem, accusative singular of prehensiō, from the verb prehendō. Doublet of prehension.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans tronk, gevangenis
- tronkplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- gevangenisplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Ancient Greek δεσμωτήριον, εἱρκτή
- δεσμωτήριον (desmōtḗrion)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- εἱρκτή (heirktḗ)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Arabic سِجْن
- سِجْن (sijn)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Basque espetxe
- espetxeplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Bengali কারাগার
- কারাগার (karagar)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Bulgarian затво́р, дранго́лник
- затво́р (zatvór)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- дранго́лник (drangólnik)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- тъмни́ца (tămníca)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- тюрма́ (tjurmá)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- занда́н (zandán)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Catalan presó, càrcer
- presóplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- càrcerplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- presidiplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Chinese Cantonese 監獄 /监狱, 牢獄 /牢狱
- 監獄 /监狱 (gaam¹ juk⁶)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 牢獄 /牢狱 (lou⁴ juk⁶)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 監牢 /监牢 (gaam¹ lou⁴)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Chinese Mandarin 監獄 /监狱, 牢獄 /牢狱
- 監獄 /监狱 (jiānyù)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 牢獄 /牢狱 (láoyù)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 監牢 /监牢 (jiānláo)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 班房 (bānfáng)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Czech vězení, žalář
- vězeníplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- žalářplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- vězniceplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- vězněníconfinement in a prison
- uvězněníconfinement in a prison
Danish fængsel, fængsling
- fængselplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- fængslingconfinement in a prison
- indespærringconfinement in a prison
- fængselsstrafconfinement in a prison
- frihedsstrafconfinement in a prison
- hæfteconfinement in a prison
- hæftestrafconfinement in a prison
Dutch gevangenis, kerker
- gevangenisplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- kerkerplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Esperanto malliberejo, prizono
- malliberejoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- prizonoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Estonian vangla
- vanglaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Finnish vankila, tyrmä
- vankilaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- tyrmäplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- vankeusconfinement in a prison
- vankeusrangaistusconfinement in a prison
French prison, cabane
- prisonplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- cabaneplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- geôleplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- pénitencierplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- prisonconfinement in a prison
German Gefängnis, Knast
- Gefängnisplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- Knastplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- Kerkerplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- Zuchthausplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- Haftconfinement in a prison
- Gefangenschaftconfinement in a prison
Greek φυλακή, δεσμωτήριο
- φυλακή (fylakí)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- δεσμωτήριο (desmotírio)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- φυλάκιση (fylákisi)confinement in a prison
- κάθειρξη (kátheirxi)confinement in a prison
Hawaiian hale paʻahao
- hale paʻahaoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Hebrew כֶּלֶא, בֵּית כֶּלֶא
- כֶּלֶא (kéle)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- בֵּית כֶּלֶא (bet kéle)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- בֵּית סֹהַר (bet sóhar)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים (bet ha'asurím)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Hindi कारागार, बन्दीघर
- कारागार (kārāgār)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- बन्दीघर (bandīghar)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- जेल (jel)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- क़ैदख़ाना (qaidxānā)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Hungarian börtön, böri
- börtönplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- böriplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- hűvösplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- dutyiplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Icelandic fangelsi
- fangelsiplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Indonesian penjara, bui
- penjaraplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- buiplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Irish príosún, carcair
- príosúnplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- carcairplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Italian prigione, carcere
- prigioneplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- carcereplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- frescoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- prigioneconfinement in a prison
- carcereconfinement in a prison
Japanese 監獄, 刑務所
- 監獄 (kangoku)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 刑務所 (keimusho)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 牢屋 (rōya)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 牢 (rō)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Korean 교도소, 교화소
- 교도소 (gyodoso)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 교화소 (gyohwaso)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 감옥 (gamok)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- 형무소 (hyeongmuso)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Latin carcer
- carcerplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Latvian cietums
- cietumsplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Lithuanian kalėjimas
- kalėjimasplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Malay penjara
- penjaraplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Māori whare herehere
- whare herehereplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Norwegian Bokmål fengsel, fengsel
- fengselplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- fengselconfinement in a prison
Polish więzienie, pierdel
- więzienieplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- pierdelplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- więzienieconfinement in a prison
Portuguese prisão, cadeia
- prisãoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- cadeiaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- cárcereplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- xadrezplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- xilindróplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- cárcereconfinement in a prison
Punjabi ਜੇਲ੍ਹ, ਬੰਦੀਖਾਨਾ
- ਜੇਲ੍ਹ (jelh)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- ਬੰਦੀਖਾਨਾ (bandīkhānā)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- ਬੰਦੀਖ਼ਾਨਾ (bandīxānā)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- ਕੈਦਖਾਨਾ (kaidkhānā)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- ਕੈਦਖ਼ਾਨਾ (kaidxānā)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Romanian închisoare, pușcărie
- închisoareplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- pușcărieplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- temnițăplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Russian тюрьма́, темни́ца
- тюрьма́ (tjurʹmá)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- темни́ца (temníca)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- остро́г (ostróg)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- куту́зка (kutúzka)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- катала́жка (katalážka)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- тюря́га (tjurjága)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- зо́на (zóna)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- казема́т (kazemát)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- тюре́мное заключе́ние (tjurémnoje zaključénije)confinement in a prison
- заточе́ние в тюрьму́ (zatočénije v tjurʹmú)confinement in a prison
- тюрьма́ (tjurʹmá)confinement in a prison
- срок (srok)confinement in a prison
Scottish Gaelic prìosan
- prìosanplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Slovak väznica, väzenie
- väznicaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- väzenieplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- žalárplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- uväznenieconfinement in a prison
- väznenieconfinement in a prison
Spanish cárcel, prisión
- cárcelplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- prisiónplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- penitenciaríaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- chironaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- trulloplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- talegoplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- presidioplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- prisiónconfinement in a prison
- presidioconfinement in a prison
Swahili jela, gereza
- jelaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- gerezaplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Swedish fängelse
- fängelseplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Tagalog bilangguan, piitan
- bilangguanplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- piitanplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Tamil சிறை, சிறைச்சாலை
- சிறை (ciṟai)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- சிறைச்சாலை (ciṟaiccālai)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Thai คุก, กรงขัง
- คุก (kúk)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- กรงขัง (grong-kǎng)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- เรือนจำ (rʉʉan-jam)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- พันธนาคาร (pan-tá-naa-kaan)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- ทัณฑสถาน (tan-tá-sà-tǎan)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Turkish hapis, hapishane
- hapisplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- hapishaneplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- cezaeviplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Ukrainian в'язни́ця, тюрма́
- в'язни́ця (vʺjaznýcja)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- тюрма́ (tjurmá)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- темни́ця (temnýcja)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- остро́г (ostróh)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Urdu زِنْدان, قَید خانَہ
- زِنْدان (zindān)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- قَید خانَہ (qaid xāna)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- جیل (jel)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Vietnamese tù, nhà tù
- tùplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- nhà tùplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Welsh carchar
- carcharplace of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Yiddish טורמע, תּפֿיסה
- טורמע (turme)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
- תּפֿיסה (tfise)place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with prison
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
prison. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prison
MLA
“prison.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prison. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prison,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prison.
Source: prison on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.