requital according to merits or deserts, especially for evil.
2.
something given or inflicted in such requital.
3.
Theology. the distribution of rewards and punishments in a future life.
Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English retribucioun < Middle French < Late Latin retribūtiōn- (stem of retribūtiō) punishment, reward as result of judgment, equivalent to Latin retribūt(us) (past participle of retribuere to restore, give back; see re-, tribute) + -iōn--ion
Synonyms 1, 2. retaliation, repayment, recompense. See revenge.
1382, "repayment," from L. retributionem (nom. retributio) "recompense, repayment," from retributus, pp. of retribuere "hand back, repay," from re- "back" + tribuere "to assign, allot" (see tribute). Sense of "evil given for evil done" is from day of retribution (1526) in