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pris·on

(prĭzən)

1. A place for the confinement and punishment of persons convicted of crimes, especially felonies.

2. A state of imprisonment or captivity: years spent in prison.

3. A place or condition of confinement or restriction: felt his job had been a prison.

tr.v. pris·oned, pris·on·ing, pris·ons

To confine in or as if in a prison; imprison.

[Middle English, from Old French, alteration (influenced by Old French pris, taken) of Latin prēnsiō, prēnsiōn-, a seizing, from *prehēnsiō, from prehēnsus, past participle of prehendere, to seize; see ghend- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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