Synonyms for penal
- punitive
- chastening
- corrective
- penalizing
- punishing
- punitory
- reformatory
- retributive
EXAMPLES FROM THE WEB FOR PENAL
Mr Haredale is a sufferer from the penal laws, and I can't expect his favour.'
Our whole conception of rights, and especially of penal law, should then change.
At present, penal law is absolutely impotent in this matter.
Are you conscious that you are rendering yourself liable to penal servitude?
I told him the whole story, but all he said was, 'ten years' penal servitude.'
The men from Mars understand this better, for their quarter is a penal colony.
India, with poverty, is the direst of all penal settlements.
There was an Act of Parliament which made it penal to procure ships for sailors.
There will be neither scapegoats in this matter nor yet penal servitude for anyone.
The penal laws were in full force for the most of that time.
WORD ORIGIN
"pertaining to punishment," mid-15c., from Old French peinal (12c., Modern French pénal) and directly from Medieval Latin penalis, from Latin poenalis "pertaining to punishment," from poena "punishment," from Greek poine "blood-money, fine, penalty, punishment," from PIE *kwoina, from root *kwei- "to pay, atone, compensate" (cf. Greek time "price, worth, honor, esteem, respect," tinein "to pay a price, punish, take vengeance;" Sanskrit cinoti "observes, notes;" Avestan kaena "punishment, vengeance;" Old Church Slavonic cena "honor, price;" Lithuanian kaina "value, price").