jailer

noun

jail·​er ˈjā-lər How to pronounce jailer (audio)
variants or less commonly jailor
1
: a keeper of a jail
2
: one that restricts another's liberty as if by imprisonment

Examples of jailer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nicholas Denny, a former Bibb County, Ga., sheriff's deputy, was revealed to have been fired by lead sheriff David Davis more than a year after the district attorney told the sheriff's office Denny lied about a local jailer committing a crime. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 9 Dec. 2024 Defendants were accused of having drugs in court; a Fulton County jailer was accused of taking bribes from a defendant's family; a defendant was stabbed while in jail; and at one point Williams' defense attorney, Brian Steel, being held in contempt of court. Kristal Dixon, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024 After the incident, jailers cleared out the dorm — then went back later in the day to search the area for drugs. Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024 Criminal charges against jailers Civil lawsuits against county jails are common. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 2 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for jailer 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jailer was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near jailer

Cite this Entry

“Jailer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jailer. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

jailer

noun
jail·​er
variants or jailor
: a keeper of a jail

Legal Definition

jailer

noun
jail·​er
: a keeper of a jail
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!