punishment
UK: ˈpʌnɪʃmənt | US: ˈpʌnɪʃmənt
n. the act of imposing a penalty for an offense or fault
n. a penalty inflicted for wrongdoing
n. harsh or severe treatment
The word "punishment" derives from the Old French punissement, rooted in the Latin punire ("to penalize, chastise"). The morpheme punish preserves the core idea of imposing a penalty, while -ment (from Latin -mentum) transforms the verb into a noun denoting the result or action. The term evolved in Middle English to emphasize both judicial penalties and broader consequences for misconduct, reflecting its dual focus on correction and retribution.
The court decided on a severe punishment for the crime.
Corporal punishment is banned in many schools.
His punishment was community service.
She viewed the criticism as unfair punishment.
The law aims to balance justice with humane punishment.