Oubliette: meaning, definitions and examples

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oubliette

 

[ ˌuːbliˈɛt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

castle dungeons

An oubliette is a secret dungeon with access only through a trapdoor in its ceiling. The name comes from the French word 'oublier', which means 'to forget'. Oubliettes were commonly used in medieval castles to imprison and sometimes forget about prisoners.

Synonyms

cell, dungeon, prison

Examples of usage

  • The prisoner was thrown into the oubliette and left to rot.
  • The only light in the oubliette came from a small hole in the ceiling.

Translations

Translations of the word "oubliette" in other languages:

🇵🇹 calabouço

🇮🇳 तहखाना

🇩🇪 Verlies

🇮🇩 penjara bawah tanah

🇺🇦 підземелля

🇵🇱 loch

🇯🇵 地下牢

🇫🇷 oubliette

🇪🇸 mazmorra

🇹🇷 zindan

🇰🇷 지하 감옥

🇸🇦 زنزانة تحت الأرض

🇨🇿 důl

🇸🇰 diera

🇨🇳 地牢

🇸🇮 ječa

🇮🇸 neðanjarðarfangelsi

🇰🇿 жерасты абақтысы

🇬🇪 მიწისქვეშა ციხე

🇦🇿 yeraltı həbsxanası

🇲🇽 mazmorra

Word origin

The word 'oubliette' originates from the French word 'oublier', which means 'to forget'. The concept of oubliettes dates back to medieval times when they were commonly used as dark and isolated dungeons to hold prisoners, often forgotten by the outside world. Oubliettes were designed to be difficult to escape from, with access only through a trapdoor in the ceiling, making them a fearsome and effective form of imprisonment.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,823, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.