English–French

“prison guard” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/matɔ̃/

Example

Le maton ouvre la porte de la cellule.

The prison guard opens the cell door.

Illustration for maton (prison guard)

How to say “prison guard” in French

“Prison guard” in French is maton.

A prison guard patrolling a corridor with keys and controlling access to cell doors.

Full entry for maton: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with maton

Le maton de service patrouille dans les couloirs.

The guard on duty patrols the hallways.

Tips for using maton

  • Maton is familiar and informal, while surveillant pénitentiaire is the standard term in official contexts.

“prison guard” in other languages