cell block

[/sɛl blɑk/]
nounpl: cell blocks
bloco de celas
1. A section of a prison or jail containing a number of cells where inmates are housed
The guard walked through the cell block to check on the prisoners.
O guarda percorreu o bloco de celas para verificar os prisioneiros.
2. A building or wing within a correctional facility designed to house multiple inmates in individual cells
The new cell block was designed to accommodate 200 inmates.
O novo bloco de celas foi projetado para acomodar 200 detentos.
In the United States, 'cell block' is a standard term in prison terminology and criminal justice vocabulary. In Brazil, 'bloco de celas' is used formally in legal and correctional contexts. The term reflects the institutional architecture of modern penal systems and is commonly encountered in crime dramas, news reports about prisons, and criminal justice documentation in both countries.
NYC Slang
the block
Synonyms / Sinônimos
cellblockblockdetention blockprison blockjail block
Antonyms / Antônimos
freedomliberty

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
bloco de celas
Standard term used throughout Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
bloco de celas
Common usage in criminal justice context
São Paulo
bloco de celas
Standard term used in penal institutions
Portugal
bloco de celas
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; formal usage in legal contexts

Related Words

cellprisonjailinmateguardcorrectional facilitydetention center

Related Idioms & Phrases

locked up in a cell block
solitary cell block
maximum security cell block
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