imprisonment etymology

Etymology:

  • From Middle English emprisonement, from Old French emprisonement, from emprisoner ("to imprison"), from en- ("in") + prisoner ("prisoner").
  • Ultimately from Latin prehendĕre ("to seize, grasp"), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁- ("to seize").

Meaning:

  • The state of being confined or restrained within a prison or other place of detention.
  • The act or process of confining someone in prison.

Origin:

The concept of imprisonment has existed since ancient times. In ancient Greece, for example, people who were unable to pay their debts could be imprisoned until they could repay them. In ancient Rome, imprisonment was used as a form of punishment for criminals.

In the Middle Ages, imprisonment became increasingly common as a form of punishment for both criminals and debtors. In England, the first prisons were built in the 12th century. By the 15th century, prisons had become a common feature of English society.

Imprisonment has continued to be used as a form of punishment in the modern era. In the United States, for example, imprisonment is the most common form of punishment for felonies.

imprisonment relate terms

  • imprison

    Etymology and Origin of Imprison The word imprison has its origins in the Old French

  • prison

    Etymology The word prison comes from the Old French word prison which in turn comes

  • captivity

    Etymology The word captivity is derived from the Latin word captivus which means ca

  • incarceration

    Etymology The word incarceration comes from the Latin incarcerare meaning to impri

  • oubliette

    Etymology Old French oubliette Middle French oubliette Latin oblivīscī to forg

  • rounder

    Etymology The word rounder has multiple etymological origins 1 Round Middle Englis

  • roundhouse

    Etymology The word roundhouse has its origins in two Old English words rund meaning

  • caption

    Etymology Caption comes from the Latin word captio meaning to seize or to captur

  • hold

    Etymology Old English healdan Proto West Germanic haldan Proto Germanic haldaną P

  • punishment

    Etymology Old French punissement Latin punitio Proto Indo European peu n pun Me

  • aplenty

    Etymology The word aplenty is derived from the Old English phrase in plente which me

  • penalty

    Etymology The word penalty is derived from the Late Latin term poena which means p