English
jailer
Jailer comes from Middle English gayoler ‘a prison warden’, from Late Latin caveola ‘little cage’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *kawos.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kawosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavus‘hollow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*caveusreconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavea‘cage’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcaveola‘little cage’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400jaiole‘prison’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400jaiolier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayoler‘a prison warden’
- Englishearliest quotation 1775jailer
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kawosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavus‘hollow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*caveusreconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcavea‘cage’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcaveola‘little cage’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400jaiole‘prison’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400jaiolier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gayoler‘a prison warden’
- Englishearliest quotation 1775jailer
Earliest quotation: 1775, Samuel Palmer: “Sometimes some of the ejected ministers preached to them…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱewh₁- ‘to swell’
church, kirk, hound, cyst, cumulus, cajole, 38 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱowh₁ós
through Proto-Italic *kawos
through Latin cavus ‘hollow’
cave, cavity, excavation, excavate, cavil, 16 more
through Latin cavea ‘cage’
through Late Latin caveola ‘little cage’
Today it means
noun One who enforces confinement in a jail or prison.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *kawos / jailer