Etymograph

English

jail

Jail comes from Middle English gayole, from Anglo-Norman jaiole ‘prison’, from Latin caveola ‘little cage’, diminutive of cavea ‘cage’, from cavus ‘hollow’.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kawosreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavus‘hollow’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*caveusreconstructed
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavea‘cavity, cage’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaveola‘little cage’
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400jaiole‘prison’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayole‘jail, prison’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1966jail

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kawosreconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavus‘hollow’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*caveusreconstructed
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavea‘cavity, cage’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcaveola‘little cage’
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400jaiole‘prison’
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayole‘jail, prison’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1966jail

Earliest quotation: 1966, Robert Coover, Part II, section 11: “Taking a shower at the high school, Tommy (the…”

The story

Fully displaced native Middle English quartern (‘prison, jail, cell’), from Old English cweartern (‘jail, prison’). Partially displaced native Middle English lok, from Old English loc (‘enclosure, pen; jail, prison’), whence lock; and Middle English carcern, from Old English carcern, from Latin carcer (‘prison, jail’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱewh₁- ‘to swell’

church, kirk, hound, cyst, cumulus, cajole, 38 more

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱowh₁ós

cavernous, 13 more

through Proto-Italic *kawos

cavern, concave, 14 more

through Latin cavus

cave, cavity, excavation, excavate, cavil, 16 more

through Latin cavea ‘cage’

cage, caul, 4 more

through Middle English gayole ‘jail, prison’

gaol

Today it means

noun A place or institution for the confinement of persons held against their will in lawful custody or detention, especially (in US usage) a place where people are held for minor offenses or with reference to some future judicial proceeding.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *kawos / jail

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