Incarcer

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To put someone in prison or hold them in jail as punishment for a crime, taking away their freedom
2. To shut a person away in a cell or other place of confinement so they cannot leave
3. To confine someone behind bars, keeping them locked up under legal authority

Etymology: Classical Latin "carcer" meant a prison or a place of confinement, and it is the root of this rare English verb. The prefix "in-" means "into," so the core sense is putting someone into confinement. The fuller form, "incarcerate," comes from the Late Latin "incarcerare," which joined "in-" to "carcer." "Incarcer" is a shorter variant of the same verb, and it is likely a back-formation from "incarceration" or "incarcerate," a clipped version of a more familiar word rather than a separate borrowing from Latin.