Gaol

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dÊ’eɪl/
• Rhymes: -eɪl

Origin

From Middle English gayole, gaylle, gaille, gayle, gaile, via Old French gaiole, gayolle, gaole, from Medieval Latin gabiola, for *caveola, a diminutive of Latin cavea ("cavity, coop, cage").

Full definition of gaol

Noun

1. (UK, Ireland, Australia) Alternative spelling of jail
• 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 3, ‘… There's every Staffordshire crime-piece ever made in this cabinet, and that's unique. The Van Hoyer Museum in New York hasn't that very rare second version of Maria Marten's Red Barn over there, nor the little Frederick George Manning—he was the criminal Dickens saw hanged on the roof of the gaol in Horsemonger Lane, by the way—’

Usage notes

Gaol was formerly the usual spelling, and is still preferred in some proper names. Most Australian newspapers use jail rather than gaol, citing either narrower print width or the possibility of transposing letters in gaol to produce goal.

1996, Sally A. White, Reporting in Australia, page 275

Synonyms

Verb

1. (British) Alternative spelling of jail

Derived terms

• engaol
• gaoler

Anagrams

• goal
• Olga