Usage Note
Prisonnier (fem. prisonnière) refers to a person held in custody or taken captive. Faire prisonnier means to take someone prisoner. The word also functions as an adjective: être prisonnier de ses habitudes (to be a prisoner of one's habits).
Examples
"Le prisonnier s'est évadé de la prison."
Natural Translation
The prisoner escaped from prison.
Literal Translation
The prisoner himself-is escaped from-the prison.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
5 min read