incarcerare

to imprison, to jail

verb een-kar-cheh-RAH-reh Rare

Origin: From in- + carcere (prison), from Latin carcer.

Usage Note

Incarcerare takes avere as auxiliary. It is the formal/legal term for placing someone in prison; the more colloquial verb is mettere in prigione. The past participle incarcerato is also used as a noun ('prisoner': un incarcerato). The related noun is incarcerazione.

Examples

"Il giudice ha ordinato di incarcerare l'imputato."

Natural Translation

The judge ordered the defendant to be jailed.

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