Asylum

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈsaɪləm/

Definitions

1. an institution or location providing both sanctuary from political threat and treatment for mental health disorders
2. A location that grants safety to people fleeing harm or persecution ; an establishment dedicated to the care and treatment of those with mental health issues
3. A safe haven where individuals escaping threats are sheltered ; a center designed to provide medical and psychological support to mentally ill patients

Etymology: The Greek word "asulon" meant a sanctuary, a place where a person was safe from seizure or violence. It was built from "a-", a negating prefix meaning "not", and "sulē", a right of seizure, so the literal sense is something like "without the right of seizure." Ancient temples and shrines were the classic examples, and anyone who fled to one was protected from being dragged away. The Romans borrowed the idea and the word as "asylum," keeping the same meaning of a refuge from pursuit. English took it directly from Latin as a learned borrowing, so the word has always carried that formal, classical flavour rather than arriving through everyday speech.

Synonyms: refuge, sanctuary, shelter, harbor, protection

Antonyms: danger, peril, threat