English
dungeon
Dungeon comes from Middle English dongeoun ‘keep of a castle’, and goes back to Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem ‘donjon’.
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*dominiōnem‘donjon’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400donjon‘keep of a castle’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400donjun‘keep of a castle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dongeoun‘keep of a castle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1830dungeon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*dominiōnem‘donjon’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400donjon‘keep of a castle’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400donjun‘keep of a castle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dongeoun‘keep of a castle’
- Englishearliest quotation 1830dungeon
Earliest quotation: 1830, William Cobbett: “Of every act of severity, of every bold violation…”
The story
From Middle English dongeoun (‘keep of a castle; dungeon; abyss, cave, den; whirlpool’), from Anglo-Norman donjun (‘keep of a castle; keep used as a prison; dungeon’) and continental Old French donjon (‘keep of a castle’), from Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem, seemingly derived from Latin dominus (‘master, lord’) perhaps via some figurative sense like “dominant building”. The sense of “prison (associated with a castle)”, first attested in Anglo-Norman (13th c.) and apparently never in continental Old French, likely developed in combination with Old English dung (‘underground prison cell’), whence Middle English donge (“pit, abyss”, senses that are also attested for Middle English dongeoun). The game term has been popularized by Dungeons & Dragons.
Linked words
through Latin dominus ‘master, lord’
do, dan, domain, don, danger, dame, dominate, donna, domination, dominion, domino, damsel, dominatrix, dominus, domine, 8 more
Today it means
noun An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem / dungeon