disciplinary
Americanadjective
adjective
-
of, promoting, or used for discipline; corrective
-
relating to a branch of learning
criticism that crosses disciplinary boundaries
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disciplinary
First recorded in 1575–85; discipline + -ary
Explanation
Anything disciplinary is meant to correct someone's bad behavior or punish them for doing something wrong. At many schools, the vice principal is in charge of disciplinary actions like detention. Many parents have disciplinary methods that include issuing time-outs, grounding teenagers for misbehavior, or withholding privileges like watching TV. The sentences and punishments handed down by judges in criminal courts and military tribunals are more serious disciplinary actions. In fact, the adjective disciplinary comes from a Latin root, disciplina, that means both "instruction given" and "military discipline."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And when pressed over whether the disciplinary issue is over with, Moyes said: "No, I can't comment on that."
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
A disciplinary committee then decided to suspend Balogun's ban and he played in the last-16 game, with Belgium the 4-1 victors.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
“Positive” trainers generally focus on rewards and avoid disciplinary measures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
In the first half of this year, China’s disciplinary authorities filed roughly 538,000 cases, an average of nearly 90,000 a month, up from about 83,000 a month in 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
The second item in the envelope was a letter to Mr. Larson from Dr. Barnes, informing him of the intended disciplinary action.
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
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