incommunicado

adverb or adjective

in·​com·​mu·​ni·​ca·​do ˌin-kə-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkä-(ˌ)dō 

: without means of communication : in a situation or state not allowing communication

a prisoner held incommunicado

remained incommunicado while working on her book

Did you know?

Incommunicado ultimately comes from Latin but made its way into English via the Spanish incomunicado. We borrowed the word (with a slightly modified spelling) from the past participle of the Spanish verb incomunicar, meaning "to deprive of communication." The Spanish word, in turn, derives from the Latin prefix in- and the verb communicare, meaning "to communicate."

Examples of incommunicado in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most of those detained during and after the demonstrations are young people from the poorest corners of the country who have been held incommunicado, relatives say. —Santiago Pérez, WSJ, 20 July 2021

Word History

Etymology

Spanish incomunicado, from past participle of incomunicar to deprive of communication, from in- (from Latin) + comunicar to communicate, from Latin communicare

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

incommunicado

adverb or adjective

in·​com·​mu·​ni·​ca·​do ˌin-kə-ˌmyü-nə-ˈkäd-ō 

: without being able to communicate with others

a prisoner held incommunicado