bagnio
/ˈbɑːnjəʊ
/ /ˈbanjəʊ/noun (plural bagnios)
1 archaic A brothel.The most notorious madam of the era was one Elizabeth Hayward who ran bagnios with a rare wit....
- At Storytown's peak, over 2000 prostitutes, in various bagnios, were selling Love in hourly increments.
- For this vile end the bagnios and lodging-houses are near at hand.
2 historical (In East Asia) a prison.Many other messages were exchanged between Zoraida and the captive until enough money was collected to furnish a ship and ransom other bagnio captives besides himself....
- Garcés examines the five years he spent in the Algerian bagnios and the impact of his imprisonment on his works.
- All these are Government slaves, and are carried off at once to one of the three great government prisons or bagnios.
Origin
Late 16th century (in sense 2): from Italian bagno, from Latin balneum 'bath'.