Definition of punitive
Etymology
Medieval Latin punitivus, from punire to punish.
Pronunciation
Adjective
punitive (comparative more punitive, superlative most punitive)
- (law) inflicting punishment, punishing
Washington imposed punitive sanctions on Syria.
The jury awarded $10,000 in punitive damages.
Related terms
References:
- Wiktionary. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
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