prisoner

English Online Dictionary. What means prisoner‎? What does prisoner mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English prisoner, from Old French prisonier (compare Medieval Latin prisōnārius), equivalent to prison +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɪzənə/, /ˈpɹɪznə/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɪzənɚ/, /ˈpɹɪznɚ/
• Hyphenation: pri‧son‧er

Noun

prisoner (plural prisoners)

1. A person incarcerated in a prison, while on trial or serving a sentence.

   Synonym: jailbird
2. Any person held against their will.
3. A person who is or feels confined or trapped by a situation or a set of circumstances.

Derived terms

Related terms

• imprison
• prison

Translations

Anagrams

• Perrinos, erpornis

Middle English

Etymology 1

Form prisounen +‎ -er.

Noun

prisoner (plural prisoners)

1. one who imprisons (others); a jailer

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Old French prisonier; equivalent to prisoun +‎ -er.

Alternative forms

• prisonere, prysonere, prysoner, presoner
• (Cornwall) prisner

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /prizuˈneːr/, /ˈprizunər/

Noun

prisoner (plural prisoners or prisoneres)

1. prisoner
2. captive, prisoner of war

Descendants

• English: prisoner