punitive

C2 Topic:Crime & Justice
US /ˈpju.nɪ.tɪv/
adj Freq #27894

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    Intended as punishment.

    The government imposed punitive taxes on imported goods.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · intended as punishment. punitory
Opposites
nonpunitiveunpunitive

Etymology

From Middle French punitif, from Medieval Latin pūnitīvus, from pūniō (“to punish”).

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