Bagne

/bæɡn/ noun

Definition

A prison or penal establishment, particularly in historical or Mediterranean contexts; an archaic or foreign term for bagno.

Etymology

From French 'bagne,' derived from Italian 'bagno' meaning 'bath' or 'bathhouse,' which were converted into prisons.

Kelly Says

European bathhouses were converted into prisons because they had secure walls, water supplies, and isolation—'bagne' became a word for convict prisons throughout the Mediterranean.

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