Etymology Map
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Jail

3 stages from Vulgar Latin to English.

Today it means a place for holding people accused or convicted of crimes

Where does the word "jail" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin caveola, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
caveola
Vulgar Latin · ancient
"little cage"
a diminutive of 'cavea', cage or hollow
2
Stage 2 of 3
gaiole
Old French · medieval
"cage, prison"
Norman French had a competing form 'gaole', which gave British 'gaol'
3
Stage 3 of 3
jail
English · 1200s
"a prison"
English kept both spellings for centuries, both pronounced 'jail'
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Read the full story

Jail’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: caveola meant “little cage.” A diminutive of 'cavea', cage or hollow. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as gaiole. Norman French had a competing form 'gaole', which gave British 'gaol'. It reached English by 1200s as jail. English kept both spellings for centuries, both pronounced 'jail'. Today, jail means a place for holding people accused or convicted of crimes.