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Definition of penal

penal

/ˈpiː.nəl/
pe · nal
Adverb:penally
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penal Lexical Profile

penal Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Relating to, prescribing, or used for the legal punishment of offenders, especially through imprisonment or criminal law.

Example

"The legislature passed a comprehensive reform of the state's penal code to reduce mandatory minimum sentences."

2

Subject to punishment by law; constituting a punishable offense.

Example

"Falsifying official tax documents is a serious penal offense in most jurisdictions."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for penal

• Nearby Words

pembroke
pemmican
pen
penal
penalization
penalize
penalty

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Old French penal, from Latin poenalis ('pertaining to punishment'), derived from poena ('penalty, punishment'), which itself comes from Ancient Greek poine ('blood-money, fine, penalty').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Penal. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/penal
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