What is the Latin word for gallows?

The usual Latin words for “gallows” are furcifer, crux, patibulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“gallows” in Latin

furciferyoke-bearer (a term of abuse, usually of slaves); rascal, scoundrel, rogue cruxwooden frame on which criminals were crucified, especially a cross; gallows bird; one who deserves to be hanged; torture patibulumfork-shaped yoke, pillory, or gibbet (for criminals)

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

gallows

*catasta ad supplicium exstructa. ☞ The ancients used to hang criminals on a tree that bore no fruit, arbor infelix; hence to hang a person on the gallows, aliquem arbore infelici suspendere. ☞ Patibulum, which the moderns incorrectly translate gallows, was a forked piece of wood on which criminals were crucified. A gallows-bird (as a term of reproach), furcifer: crux: patibulum: career (comedy; Vid: Ruhnken, Ter., Phorm., 2, 3, 26).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for gallows?: The usual Latin words for “gallows” are furcifer, crux, patibulum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.