gulag

gu·lag also Gu·lag  (gläg)

n.

1. A network of forced labor camps in the former Soviet Union.

2. A forced labor camp or prison, especially for political dissidents.

3. A place or situation of great suffering and hardship, likened to the atmosphere in a prison system or a forced labor camp.

---

[Russian Gulag, from G(lavnoe) u(pravlenie ispravitel'no-trudovykh) lag(ere), Chief Administration (of Correctional Labor) Camps.]

---

Gulag [ˈguːlæg]

n

(Historical Terms) (formerly) the central administrative department of the Soviet security service, established in 1930, responsible for maintaining prisons and forced labour camps

[from Russian G(lavnoye) U(pravleniye Ispravitelno-Trudovykh) Lag(erei) Main Administration for Corrective Labour Camps]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

gulag - a Russian prison camp for political prisoners internment camp, POW camp, prison camp, prisoner of war camp - a camp for prisoners of war