Where does “jailer” come from?
Jailer comes from Old French jaioleur, derived from Old French jaiole, a word of uncertain ultimate origin.
jailer (English): One who enforces confinement in a jail or prison
Definitions
- One who enforces confinement in a jail or prison
Ancestry of “jailer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gayoler | A prison warden; a jailer/gaoler |
| 2 | Middle English | gayole | jail, prison place for [[confine |
| 3 | Old French | gaiole | prison; gaol; jail |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | gabiola | — |
| 5 | Late Latin | caveola | — |
| 6 | Latin | cavea | hollow, cavity; cage, den, enclosure, stall,... |
| 7 | Latin | cavus | hollow, concave; excavated, channeled;... |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | kawos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱowh₁ós | hollow |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱewh₁- | to swell; to be strong |