English Explanatory Dictionary

incarcerate

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To lock away; to imprison, especially for breaking the law.
  2. To confine; to shut up or enclose; to hem in.
adj
  1. Incarcerated: jailed, imprisoned, confined, shut in.

Pronunciation

/ɪnˈkɑː.səˌɹeɪt/ /ɪnˈkɑɹ.səˌɹeɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-incarcerate.wav

Word forms

incarcerate incarcerates incarcerating incarcerated encarcerate

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in 1528, the verb in 1575; borrowed from Medieval Latin incarcerātus, perfect passive participle of incarcerō (“to imprison”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Latin in- (“in”) + carcer (“a prison”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). Common participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

Synonyms

imprison jail

Related words

cancel cancer carceral carcerate chancel decarcerate

Derived words

disincarcerate incarcerable incarceration incarcerator nonincarcerated overincarcerate overincarcerated reincarcerate unincarcerated
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