Skip to content

The word for today is…

incarcerate (verb):

1: to put in prison
2: to subject to confinement

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Just as English is full of nouns referring to places where prisoners are confined, from the familiar (jail and prison) to the obscure (calaboose and bridewell), so we have multiple verbs for the action of putting people behind bars. Some words can be used as both nouns and verbs, if in slightly different forms: one can be jailed in a jail, imprisoned in a prison, locked up in a lockup, or even jugged in a jug. Incarcerate does not have such a noun equivalent in English—incarceration refers to the state of confinement rather than a physical structure—but it comes ultimately from the Latin noun carcer, meaning “prison.” Incarcerate is also on the formal end of the spectrum when it comes to words related to the law and criminal justice, meaning you are more likely to read or hear about someone incarcerated in a penitentiary or detention center than in the pokey.

If you enjoyed this BFD word of the day please consider sharing it with your friends and, especially, your children.

Latest

Good Oil Backchat

Good Oil Backchat

Please read our rules before you start commenting on The Good Oil to avoid a temporary or permanent ban.

Members Public