asylums
|a-sy-lum|
/əˈsaɪləmz/
(asylum)
protection and refuge
Etymology
'asylum' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'asylon', where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' and the stem (related to seize/plunder) implied 'seizable' so 'asylon' meant an inviolable place or refuge.
'asylum' changed from Greek 'asylon' into Latin 'asylum', passed through Medieval/Church Latin and Old French usage, and eventually became the modern English word 'asylum' via Middle English.
Initially, it meant 'an inviolable place or sanctuary', but over time it evolved into modern senses including 'an institution for the mentally ill' and 'protection or refuge granted by a state' (political asylum).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'asylum'.
Many asylums have closed or been repurposed in recent decades.
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Noun 2
institutions that provide residential care and treatment for people with mental illnesses (historically often large public institutions).
In the 19th century, state-funded asylums housed thousands of patients.
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Noun 3
places offering protection and shelter, especially political protection granted by a state to refugees or persecuted persons (i.e., plural of 'asylum' in the sense of refuge).
Thousands fled to asylums in neighboring countries during the conflict.
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Last updated: 2025/10/29 01:59