dungeon en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English dongeoun (“keep of a castle; dungeon; abyss, cave, den; whirlpool”), from Anglo-Norman donjun (“keep of a castle; keep used as a prison; dungeon”) and continental Old French donjon (“keep of a castle”), from Vulgar Latin *dominiōnem, seemingly derived from Latin dominus (“master, lord”) perhaps via some figurative sense like “dominant building”. Doublet of donjon. The sense of “prison (associated with a castle)”, first attested in Anglo-Norman (13th c.) and apparently never in continental Old French, likely developed in combination with Old English dung (“underground prison cell”), whence Middle English donge (“pit, abyss”, senses that are also attested for Middle English dongeoun). The game term has been popularized by Dungeons & Dragons.
Meanings
-
An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle.
Year after year he lay patiently in a dungeon.
1911, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Bunyan, John”, in 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica:They could still hear him for some time shouting out things about having the law of them while being bounced down to the deepest dungeon of the castle.
1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 84:
- The low area between two drumlins.
- (obsolete) The main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon.
- (obsolete) A shrewd person.
- (qualifier:roleplaying games) An area inhabited by enemies, containing story objectives, treasure, and bosses.
- A room dedicated to sadomasochistic sexual activity.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| dungeons | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
dungeoneer · dungeon rap · dungeon monitor · multi-user dungeon · dungeon master · dungeonish · dungeonable · dungeoner · indungeon · dungeonesque · dungeon mistress · dungeon crawl · dungeonlike · sex dungeon · endungeon · dungeon-mastering · dungeony · dungeon synth · dungeon crawler · dungeon mastering · dungeonous
Hyponyms
Translations (107)
hu tömlöc (underground prison or vault) · ru гла́вная ба́шня (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · eo kelkarcero (underground prison or vault) · ru донжо́н (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · fi keskustorni (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · hi कैदखाना (underground prison or vault) · pl loch (underground prison or vault) · ga doinsiún (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · fi tyrmä (underground prison or vault) · hu kazamata (underground prison or vault) · fi vankityrmä (underground prison or vault) · xmf დილეკი (underground prison or vault) · cmn 城堡主樓 /城堡主楼 (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · eo loĝejturo (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · de Kerker (underground prison or vault) · no fangehull (underground prison or vault) · it segreta (underground prison or vault) · eo forgeskelo (underground prison or vault) · mk зандана (underground prison or vault) · ca torre de l'homenatge (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · sv fängelsehåla (underground prison or vault) · pt calaboiço (underground prison or vault) · hi अंधकुप (underground prison or vault) · fr donjon (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · hi तहखाना (underground prison or vault) · gl cábozo (underground prison or vault) · la robur (underground prison or vault) · cmn 地牢 (underground prison or vault) · hu vártorony (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · mi poka herehere (underground prison or vault) · he צִינוֹק (underground prison or vault) · eo ublieto (underground prison or vault) · uk темни́ця (underground prison or vault) · de Donjon (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · cs podzemí (underground prison or vault) · ota زندان (underground prison or vault) · cs berkfrit (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · grc γόργυρα (underground prison or vault) · ca torre mestra (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · is dýflissa (underground prison or vault) · hy զնդան (underground prison or vault) · id terungku (underground prison or vault) · da fangekælder (underground prison or vault) · vi tầng hâm (underground prison or vault) · ka დილეგი (underground prison or vault) · tl bartolina (underground prison or vault) · ca tàvega (underground prison or vault) · hi कारागार (underground prison or vault) · fr cachot (underground prison or vault) · no fangekjeller (underground prison or vault) · hu földalatti börtön (underground prison or vault) · fa گریچه (underground prison or vault) · es mazmorra (underground prison or vault) · it torrione (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · ang dung (underground prison or vault) · enm dongeoun (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · io karcero (underground prison or vault) · hi बन्दीघर (underground prison or vault) · wa roveyrece (underground prison or vault) · cmn 樓櫓 /楼橹 (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · sq dhomë e nëndheshmë (underground prison or vault) · enm dongeoun (underground prison or vault) · ang dimhūs (underground prison or vault) · el μπουντρούμι (underground prison or vault) · sh донжон кула (underground prison or vault) · ru подземе́лье (underground prison or vault) · uk підземе́лля (underground prison or vault) · ca masmorra (underground prison or vault) · pt calabouço (underground prison or vault) · gl baño (underground prison or vault) · id penjara bawah tanah (underground prison or vault) · ru склеп (underground prison or vault) · de Verlies (underground prison or vault) · cs kobka (underground prison or vault) · sva დჷლიგ (underground prison or vault) · es calabozo (underground prison or vault) · la carcer (underground prison or vault) · it prigione sotterranea (underground prison or vault) · ja 地下牢 (underground prison or vault) · ar زِنْزَانَة (underground prison or vault) · cy daeardy (underground prison or vault) · pl ciemnica (underground prison or vault) · gl cárcere (underground prison or vault) · sl ječa (underground prison or vault) · pt masmorra (underground prison or vault) · lzz დილეღი (underground prison or vault) · ru темни́ца (underground prison or vault) · tr zindan (underground prison or vault) · eo karcero (underground prison or vault) · hi क़ैदख़ाना (underground prison or vault) · fa سیاهچال (underground prison or vault) · pl donżon (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · fr oubliette (underground prison or vault) · es mazmorra (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · ar دَيْمَاس (underground prison or vault) · nl kerker (underground prison or vault) · gl crochel (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · ca calabós (underground prison or vault) · bg тъмница (underground prison or vault) · cs hladomorna (underground prison or vault) · pt torre de menagem (the main tower of a motte or castle; a keep or donjon) · eo forgesejo (underground prison or vault) · hi काल कोठरी (underground prison or vault) · hi भूगृह (underground prison or vault) · rsk цемнїца (underground prison or vault) · hi भाकसी (underground prison or vault) · ko 던전 (underground prison or vault)