attainder
Americannoun
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the legal consequence of judgment of death or outlawry for treason or felony, involving the loss of all civil rights.
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Obsolete. dishonor.
noun
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(formerly) the extinction of a person's civil rights resulting from a sentence of death or outlawry on conviction for treason or felony See also bill of attainder
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obsolete dishonour
Etymology
Origin of attainder
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English attaynder, atteindor, noun use of Old French ataindre, ateindre “to attain, touch (upon), affect, convict”; attain
Vocabulary lists containing attainder
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 the Supreme Court may not see this law as a bill of attainder either.
From Slate • Jul. 29, 2025
Like the federal government, the states cannot violate personal freedoms by suspending the writ of habeas corpus, passing bills of attainder, or enacting ex post facto laws.
From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021
And as for a retroactive attainder aimed at the descendants of slave owners, that one is pretty tricky, too.
From Fox News • Aug. 19, 2019
There are two other constitutional questions: First, the Constitution prohibits bills of attainder, laws that target specific individuals.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2018
The close of this session was marked by vehement debates in both Houses on the Bill for the attainder of Sir John Fenwick.
From William the Third by Traill, H. D. (Henry Duff)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
