Jail Word Meaning

Middle English: based on Latin cavea (see cage). The word came into English in two forms, jaiole from Old French and gayole from Anglo-Norman French gaole (surviving in the spelling gaol), originally pronounced with a hard g, as in goat

a place for the confinement of people accused or convicted of a crime

place for confinement of people accused or convicted of crime

• he spent 15 years in jail
• a jail sentence

• gaol

put (someone) in jail

put someone in jail

• the driver was jailed for two years

• gaol