penal code
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of penal code
First recorded in 1880–85
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.
Under the islands’ penal code, a single fender-bender with an endemic animal can carry severe consequences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
The interim government is prosecuting Atef Najib under the 1949 penal code, a statute written for ordinary murder, not for crimes against humanity.
From Slate ● May 27, 2026
The National Security Committee approved the amendment to the penal code, which will now be passed onto the parliament for its first reading.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2025
“There is no felony in the Texas penal code for what he says,” said Rep. Jolanda Jones, a Democrat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2025
They are expected to punish the wicked whose evil deeds are beyond the reach of any penal code, they are expected to soothe and comfort when life is hard or even unendurable.
From Morals and the Evolution of Man by Max Simon Nordau
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.
