penal
of, relating to, or involving punishment, as for crimes or offenses.
prescribing punishment: penal laws.
constituting punishment: He survived the years of penal hardship.
used as a place of confinement and punishment: a penal colony.
subject to or incurring punishment: a penal offense.
payable or forfeitable as a penalty: a penal sum.
Origin of penal
1Other words from penal
- pe·nal·i·ty [pi-nal-i-tee], /pɪˈnæl ɪ ti/, noun
- pe·nal·ly, adverb
- non·pe·nal, adjective
- un·pe·nal, adjective
- un·pe·nal·ly, adverb
Words that may be confused with penal
- 1. penal , penological, punitive
- 2. penal , penile
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for penal
/ (ˈpiːnəl) /
of, relating to, constituting, or prescribing punishment
payable as a penalty: a penal sum
used or designated as a place of punishment: a penal institution
Origin of penal
1Derived forms of penal
- penally, adverb
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
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