jail
/dʒeɪl/
noun
Origin
Latin
caveola — small cage
Overview
Meaning Now
- A place of confinement for people accused or convicted of a crime.
- The condition of being held in such a place; imprisonment.
Literal older meaning
A cage or birdcage.
Language path
Latin → Old French → English
Earliest form
gaiole
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term derives from the metaphor of confining a person like a bird in a cage. In British English, 'gaol' remains the formal legal spelling, though 'jail' is increasingly common in general use, while American English uses 'jail' exclusively.
Evolution
- Latin
caveola
“little cage”
- Old French
gaiole
“cage for birds or prisoners”
- Middle English
gayole
“prison”
- Early Modern English
jail
“place of confinement”
Spelling variant 'gaol' persists in British English.
Connections
Word parts
jail
root
prison
Related across languages
Old French
geôle
prison
Portuguese
gaiola
birdcage
Explore next
Related to jail
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.