Here's a breakdown:
* Incommunicado comes from the Spanish phrase "incomunicado," meaning "not communicated" or "uncommunicated."
* The word signifies a situation where someone is isolated and cut off from contact with others. This could be due to:
* Detention: A person is held in custody and denied access to lawyers or family.
* Isolation: A person is intentionally kept apart from others, possibly due to medical reasons or as a form of punishment.
* Natural disasters: A person is trapped or stranded and unable to make contact with the outside world.
* The term often carries a negative connotation implying that the isolation is forced or against someone's will.
Examples:
* "The prisoner was held incommunicado for several days."
* "The survivors of the avalanche were incommunicado for a week."
* "The government was accused of holding political prisoners incommunicado."