Main Entry: pen·al·ty

Pronunciation: \ˈpe-n^əl-tē\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural pen·al·ties

Etymology: Middle English penalte, from Middle French penalité, from Medieval Latin poenalitas, from Latin poenalis

Date: 15th century

1 : the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense
2 : the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations
3 a : disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action b : a disadvantage (as loss of yardage, time, or possession of the ball or an addition to or subtraction from the score) imposed on a team or competitor for violation of the rules of a sport
4 : points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract —usually used in plural

— penalty adjective