noun
dungeon
DUHN-juhn
noun
1
A dark, often underground prison cell, typically found beneath an old castle.
"The prisoners were dragged down into the castle's dungeon."
"Tourists can still visit the damp stone dungeon under the fortress."
2
In video games, an area full of enemies, hazards, and treasure that players must fight through.
"The party spent hours clearing the final dungeon before facing the boss."
How to Use Dungeon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA grim underground cell for prisoners, or (in games) a hazard-filled area to explore and fight through.
Easily confused with
donjon
Common pairings
throw someone in a dungeon
dungeon crawl
clear a dungeon
Word Forms
dungeoned past tense, dungeons plural, dungeons singular
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The prisoners were dragged down into the castle's _____.
Etymology
From Old French donjon, "castle keep," from Latin dominus, "lord" — originally the lord's central tower, which later became associated with the prison cells often held there.