incommunicado

Where does the word "incommunicado" come from? It comes from Spanish incomunicado, and was adopted directly into English (1844).

Incommunicado’s story begins in Spanish: incomunicado meant “without communication.” Literally without communication, from in- (without) and comunicar (to communicate). It reached English by 1844 as incommunicado. Spanish, used of prisoners held without contact with others. Today, incommunicado means without the means or right to communicate with other people.

1. Stage 1 · Spanish · medieval incomunicado "without communication", literally without communication, from in- (without) and comunicar (to communicate).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1844 incommunicado "without the means or right to communicate with others", Spanish, used of prisoners held without contact with others.