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”; see origin at 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.
Judge Talwani still saw the law as a bill of attainder.
From Slate • Jul. 29, 2025
That is the process the bill of attainder tells us is the appropriate one for investigation, prosecution, and punishment, with all of the attributes of that branch.
From Slate • Oct. 6, 2023
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
Lovett, 1946, is one of the few attainder cases ever decided by the Supreme Court.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016
The government, however, overcame this difficulty by introducing a bill of attainder, which after a long and acrimonious discussion passed through both Houses of Parliament.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various
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.
