castigate

[ kas-ti-geyt ]
See synonyms for castigate on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),cas·ti·gat·ed, cas·ti·gat·ing.
  1. to criticize or reprimand severely.

  2. to punish in order to correct.

Origin of castigate

1
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin castīgātus literally, “driven to be faultless” (past participle of castigāre “to chasten”), equivalent to cast(us) “pure, clean” + -īg-, combining form of agere “to drive, incite” + -ātus past participle suffix;see chaste, -ate1

Other words for castigate

Other words from castigate

  • cas·ti·ga·tion [kas-ti-gey-shuhn] /ˌkæs tɪˈgeɪ ʃən/ noun
  • cas·ti·ga·tive, cas·ti·ga·to·ry [kas-ti-guh-tawr-ee], /ˈkæs tɪ gəˌtɔr i/, adjective
  • cas·ti·ga·tor, noun
  • non·cas·ti·gat·ing, adjective
  • self-cas·ti·gat·ing, adjective
  • un·cas·ti·gat·ed, adjective
  • un·cas·ti·ga·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use castigate in a sentence

  • A certain marquis had been thrashed with a walking-stick, but showed no disposition to take vengeance on his castigator.

    Old and New Paris, v. 1 | Henry Sutherland Edwards
  • The true castigator of morals has never striven to make his subjects appear disgraceful, but to make them appear ridiculous.

    Hilaire Belloc | C. Creighton Mandell

British Dictionary definitions for castigate

castigate

/ (ˈkæstɪˌɡeɪt) /


verb
  1. (tr) to rebuke or criticize in a severe manner; chastise

Origin of castigate

1
C17: from Latin castīgāre to correct, punish, from castum pure + agere to compel (to be)

Derived forms of castigate

  • castigation, noun
  • castigator, noun
  • castigatory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012