noun

gulag

GOO-lahg

Gulag (noun) means the Soviet system of forced-labor camps and prisons, especially under Stalin. Example: “Millions of people passed through the gulag system between the 1930s and 1950s.”

noun

The Soviet system of forced-labor camps and prisons, especially under Stalin.

"Millions of people passed through the gulag system between the 1930s and 1950s."

Any prison camp used to hold political prisoners, or by extension a place of harsh political repression.

"Critics called the remote detention center a modern-day gulag."

How to use gulag

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe Soviet forced-labor camp system, or loosely, any brutal system of political imprisonment.

When to use it

Often used figuratively and with strong political charge outside its historical Soviet context.

Word forms

gulaged past tense, gulagged past tense, gulags plural, gulags singular

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Millions of people passed through the _____ system between the 1930s and 1950s.

Etymology

Borrowed from the Russian acronym ГУЛАГ (GULAG), for the Soviet agency that ran the forced-labor camp network from 1918 to 1960.

Origin: Russian · First attested 1918

Class of 1918 gulag joined the language around 1918.

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Frequently asked questions

What does “gulag” mean?

The word “gulag” means the Soviet system of forced-labor camps and prisons, especially under Stalin. In plain terms, the Soviet forced-labor camp system, or loosely, any brutal system of political imprisonment.

How do you pronounce “gulag”?

“Gulag” is pronounced GOO-lahg (/ˈɡuˌlɑɡ/ in IPA).

How do you use “gulag” in a sentence?

Here is “gulag” used in a sentence: “Millions of people passed through the gulag system between the 1930s and 1950s.”

What part of speech is “gulag”?

“Gulag” is a noun.

Where does the word “gulag” come from?

The word “gulag” dates back to around 1918 and comes from Russian. Borrowed from the Russian acronym ГУЛАГ (GULAG), for the Soviet agency that ran the forced-labor camp network from 1918 to 1960.

How many meanings does “gulag” have?

“Gulag” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the Soviet system of forced-labor camps and prisons, especially under Stalin.

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Vocabulary lists that include gulag:

Words with slavic origins