Etymologically
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imprisonment

Etymology and origin of the English word imprisonment

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1292
Borrowed from
Anglo-Norman emprisonement via Middle English

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɪmˈpɹɪzn̩.mənt/ (UK)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English enprisonment, borrowed from Anglo-Norman emprisonement (Old French emprisonnement (“capture, imprisonment”)),[2][3] from emprisoner (see imprison) and -ment.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The act of imprisoning, or the state of being imprisoned: 1292 in the OED;[4] the late 14th century in Etymonline, with the Anglo-French word from the 13th century.[2]

Semantic evolution

Transferred and figurative uses, confinement of any kind, are from 1576.[4]

Timeline

  • 1292 – imprisonment.[4]
  • 1576 – figurative confinement.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The act of putting someone in prison, or the state of being imprisoned.
  2. Confinement or restraint of any kind.

Word family

  • reimprisonment
  • false imprisonment

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Imprisonment.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/imprisonment. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·