penalty

[pen-l-tee]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR penalty ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural pen·al·ties.

a punishment imposed or incurred for a violation of law or rule.

a loss, forfeiture, suffering, or the like, to which one subjects oneself by nonfulfillment of some obligation.

something that is forfeited, as a sum of money.

a disadvantage imposed upon one of the competitors or upon one side for infraction of the rules of a game, sport, etc.

consequence or disadvantage attached to any action, condition, etc.

Nearby words

Origin of penalty

1505–15; ≪ Medieval Latin poenālitās. See penal, -ty²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for penalty

Last summer, Louisiana also banned non-legal adoption, with offenders facing a penalty of $5,000 and up to five years in prison.
Judge: Rehoming Kids Is Trafficking|Tina Traster|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The penalty is only rarely imposed, as members often resign before they can be voted out of Congress.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress|Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And as the Israeli NGO Yesh Din has documented, that penalty is actually on the high end.
Arabs Are the Michael Browns of Israel|Dean Obeidallah|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Under the ACA, adults without minimal essential coverage will be charged a penalty when they file their tax return.
Think You’re Invincible? Here’s Why Open Enrollment Matters|DailyBurn|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

While that might just seem like a slap on the wrist compared to the cost of insurance, the penalty increases every year.
Think You’re Invincible? Here’s Why Open Enrollment Matters|DailyBurn|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The penalty in the first case, was, it was felt, altogether out of proportion to the offence.
Social Rights And Duties|Leslie Stephen
Or, this affirmation you make and give upon the peril of the penalty of perjury.
A short history of Rhode Island|George Washington Greene
Mobita's theory worked very well for a time, but as he had missed an essential he paid the penalty in the end.
The Witch Doctor and other Rhodesian Studies|Frank Worthington
No matter how obscurely one has ever appeared in print, one pays the penalty of the pinnacle ever after.
The Joys of Being a Woman|Winifred Kirkland
Voltaire had let his high spirits and his sharp tongue carry him too far, and he was to pay the penalty.
Books and Characters|Lytton Strachey

British Dictionary definitions for penalty

penalty

noun plural -ties

a legal or official punishment, such as a term of imprisonment

some other form of punishment, such as a fine or forfeit for not fulfilling a contract

loss, suffering, or other unfortunate result of one's own action, error, etc

sport games a handicap awarded against a player or team for illegal play, such as a free shot at goal by the opposing team, loss of points, etc

Word Origin for penalty

C16: from Medieval Latin poenālitās penalty; see penal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for penalty

penalty

mid-15c., from Middle French penalité and directly from Medieval Latin poenalitatem (nominative poenalitas), from Latin poenalis (see penal). The sporting sense is first recorded 1885. Ice hockey penalty box attested by 1931.

penalty

noun, plural pen·al·ties.

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Nearby words

Origin of penalty

Examples from the Web for penalty

penalty

noun plural -ties

Word Origin for penalty

penalty