Gaol

Gaol is an alternative spelling of jail, meaning a place of confinement for people awaiting trial or serving short sentences. In contemporary English, gaol is primarily found in British usage, especially in historical contexts or in the names of institutions; the standard modern spelling in most varieties is jail.

The spelling gaol derives from Old French gaole, gaole meaning prison, transmitted to English during the medieval period. The spelling jail arose from the same root and became dominant in American English and in much of modern British writing. Today, gaol is largely limited to historical works, place names, and formal documents, though it remains a recognized variant.

A person who administers a gaol is a gaoler or jailer; jailer is common in American English. The words exist as variants; gaol and jail refer to the institution, while gaoler/jailer denotes the staff.