Dungeon

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdÊŒn.dÊ’É™n/

Origin

From Middle English dungeon, dungeoun, dungun ("castle keep, prison cell below the castle, dungeon"), from Old French donjon ("castle keep"), from Frankish *dungjo ("prison, dungeon, underground cellar"), from Proto-Germanic *dungijō, *dungijǭ ("enclosed space, vault, bower, treasury"), from Proto-Germanic *dungaz, *dungō ("dung, manure"), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰengʰ- ("to cover"). Cognate with Old English dung ("prison, dungeon"), Old Saxon dung ("underground cellar"), Old High German tung

German Tunk ("manure or soil covered basement, underground weaving workshop")}, Old Norse dyngja

Icelandic dyngja ("chamber")}. More at dung.

The game term has been popularized by Dungeons & Dragons.

Noun

1. An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.
• MacaulayYear after year he lay patiently in a dungeon.
2. (obsolete) The main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon.
3. (games) An area inhabited by enemies, containing story objectives, treasure and bosses.

Hyponyms

• oubliette

Derived terms

• instance dungeon
• dungeon crawler