calaboose

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkæləˌbuːs/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈkæləˌbus/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(kal′ə bo̅o̅s′, kal′ə bo̅o̅s′)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
cal•a•boose /ˈkæləˌbus/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Slang Termsjail;
    prison.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
cal•a•boose  (kal′ə bo̅o̅s′, kal′ə bo̅o̅s′),USA pronunciation n. [Slang.]
  1. Slang Termsjail;
    prison;
    lockup.
  • Spanish calabozo dungeon, of obscure origin, originally
  • North American French)
  • (1785–95, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
calaboose /ˈkæləˌbuːs/ n
  1. US informal a prison; jail
Etymology: 18th Century: from Creole French, from Spanish calabozo dungeon, of unknown origin
'calaboose' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
caboose

Forum discussions with the word(s) "calaboose" in the title:


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