Jail-Gaol | Commonly Confused Words

Gaol

/dʒeɪl/

A place where people are kept when they are arrested or convicted of a crime.

/dʒeɪl/

A place where people are kept when they have been arrested or are waiting for trial and as punishment for crimes

Courts and jails!He wished he could have had Oliver jailed as a thief.If they capture her, they'll take her to the jail."

Jail is the modern and commonly used spelling in American and Canadian English.
Gaol is an older spelling variant used predominantly in British English but rare today.
Both words have the same pronunciation and historical origin, meaning they can refer to the same type of institution.
Remember that both terms refer to a place for people in custody or waiting for trial or serving short sentences.
The use of gaol can sometimes be seen in historical texts or in certain legal documents in Britain.