A secure place where people are kept as punishment for crimes or while they are waiting for trial. It is controlled by the government and has strict rules and limits on freedom.
From Old French *prisun* or *prison*, from Latin *prehensio* 'a seizing' from *prehendere* 'to seize'. The meaning moved from the act of seizing to the place where the seized are kept.
The word for prison is built from the idea of being seized and held. It’s not just a building; it’s a system designed to control movement and time. Once you see that, you notice 'invisible prisons' too—like debt, fear, or addiction—that trap people without walls.
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