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.
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 punishment for which in Colombia is a prison sentence of between 26 to 45 years, according to the country's penal code.
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
The government says it will focus on tax, labor and penal code reforms in the coming extraordinary session of Congress.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 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
Egypt Egypt, under the protectorate of Great Britain but not a British possession technically, is without domestic legislation, except that its penal code of 1884-89 forbids piracy, and it is not included under British relations.
From Copyright: Its History and Its Law by Bowker, Richard Rogers
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.
