en
Alcatraz
/ˈælkətræz/ (AL-kuh-traz)
Definition
1
A small, rocky island in San Francisco Bay, California, United States, best known as the site of the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison operational from 1934 to 1963, infamous for housing notorious criminals like Al Capone.
2
From the Spanish word 'alcatraces,' meaning 'pelicans,' referring to the island's former abundance of these birds.
Examples
Planning a vacation to Alcatraz? Hope you've got your sea legs and a knack for dramatic escapes.
My grandma's attic is basically Alcatraz for forgotten holiday decorations—no one gets out alive.
He thought his new job was tough until he realized it made Alcatraz look like a summer camp.
Tourists flock to Alcatraz not for the views, but to whisper 'What if I tried that swim back to shore?'