carcer

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *karkros, from Proto-Indo-European *kr-kr- (“circular”), reduplication of *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”) in the sense of "enclosure". Cognate with Latin cancer and curvus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkar.ker/, [ˈkar.kɛr]

Noun

carcer m (genitive carceris); third declension

1. prison, jail
2. jailbird
3. traps (barriers at start of a horse race)
4. commencement, beginning
5. starting gate

   Ad carceres a calce revocari.

   To be called back from the finish line to the starting gates.

References

• carcer in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• carcer in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• carcer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to throw some one into prison: in carcerem conicere aliquem
    
• carcer in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• carcer in Samuel Ball Platner (1929), Thomas Ashby, editor, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, London: Oxford University Press
• carcer in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Alternative forms

• carcel

Etymology

From Latin carcer, carceris.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkaɾ.t͡seɾ/

Noun

carcer

1. jail, prison
   • 13th century, attributed to Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, E codex, cantiga 149 (facsimile):

     eu te rogo / ſeñor que me tu leues Deſta carcer eſcura / E que ueia no Ceo a ta face velida.

     Lady, I beg you, please take me out of this dark prison and let me see your beautiful face in Heaven.