Definition of penal
1 : of, relating to, or involving punishment, penalties, or punitive institutions
2 : liable to punishment a penal offense
3 : used as a place of confinement and punishment a penal colony
People Are Reading
Examples of penal in a Sentence
Australia was once a penal colony.
Recent Examples of penal from the Web
-
The source of Mexico’s power is Article IV of its own penal code.
-
In Saudi Arabia, where, according to official accounts and experts, women have played an active role in recruiting and planning attacks, the kingdom’s harsh penal system has been unusually lenient.
-
The Assembly Appropriations Committee on Friday shelved the last of several bills that sought to broaden the number of violent-felony offenses under the California penal code.
-
Military personnel won’t be used to quell riots or confront prisoners in other ways, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said in a press conference on Wednesday, but will sweep penal facilities for weapons, drugs...
-
The Gray Wastes differ in both size and mission from the penal systems of earlier eras.
-
Suddenly, small-scale marijuana purchases and the like, mainly overlooked to spare an overburdened penal system, would become conspicuous.
-
The Stompers even play an exhibition game against San Quentin, perhaps of the California penal league.
-
Their attempts to gain access to or request records from penal colonies have been routinely turned down.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'penal'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment. Often these were unbearably severe; but it was to such colonies that some of Australia's and the United States' early white inhabitants came, and the convicts provided labor for the European settlement of these lands.
Origin and Etymology of penal
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin poenalis, from poena punishment — more at pain
Other Legal Terms
PENAL Defined for English Language Learners
penal
playDefinition of penal for English Language Learners
-
: relating to or used for punishment
-
: very severe
PENAL Defined for Kids
penal
playDefinition of penal for Students
: relating to or used for punishment
Word Root of penal
The Latin word poena, meaning “punishment,” gives us the root pen or pun. Words from the Latin poena have something to do with punishments. A penalty is a punishment for doing something wrong. Anything penal, such as a group of laws, explains punishments for specific crimes. Punish and punishment also come from poena.
Law Dictionary
Learn More about penal
-
See words that rhyme with penal Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for penal Spanish Central: Translation of penal Nglish: Translation of penal for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of penal for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up penal? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!