noun
jailhouse
JAYL-hows
Jailhouse (noun) means a building used as a jail. Example: “The old jailhouse downtown is now a museum.”
noun
1
A building used as a jail.
"“SBF may serve as little as 12.5 years, if he gets all of the jailhouse credit available to him,” Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor, told CNN."
— Lauren del Valle and Allison Morrow, Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in federal prison (2024)
"The old jailhouse downtown is now a museum."
How to use jailhouse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn informal, especially American, word for a jail building.
When to use it
Common in casual speech and country/blues songs ("Jailhouse Rock"); less used in formal writing than "jail" or "prison."
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like jailhouse.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- jailhouses
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old _____ downtown is now a museum.
Etymology
Simply "jail" plus "house."
Related words
Rhymes for jailhouse
See all rhymes for jailhouse →Frequently asked questions
What does “jailhouse” mean?
The word “jailhouse” means a building used as a jail. In plain terms, an informal, especially American, word for a jail building.
How do you pronounce “jailhouse”?
“Jailhouse” is pronounced JAYL-hows (/ˈd͡ʒeɪlˌhaʊs/ in IPA).
How do you use “jailhouse” in a sentence?
Here is “jailhouse” used in a sentence: “The old jailhouse downtown is now a museum.”
What part of speech is “jailhouse”?
“Jailhouse” is a noun.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include jailhouse:
