emprisonnement

imprisonment

noun ahm-pree-zon-MAHN Rare

Usage Note

Emprisonnement is the legal and journalistic term for the act or state of being imprisoned. In legal language it is distinguished by duration: emprisonnement covers shorter sentences while réclusion criminelle applies to the gravest crimes. The related verb is emprisonner, and the general noun for a prison is la prison.

Examples

"Il a été condamné à deux ans d'emprisonnement."

Natural Translation

He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

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