Punitive

  • 1punitive — pu‧ni‧tive [ˈpjuːntɪv] adjective 1. intended to punish someone: • The court can impose punitive measures. 2. TAX punitive taxes, price increases etc are very high and it is difficult for people to pay them: • Punitive taxes on energy are likely… …

    Financial and business terms

  • 2punitive — pu·ni·tive / pyü nə tiv/ adj: inflicting, involving, or aiming at punishment pu·ni·tive·ly adv pu·ni·tive·ness n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …

    Law dictionary

  • 3Punitive — Pu ni*tive, a. Of or pertaining to punishment; involving, awarding, or inflicting punishment; as, punitive law or justice. [1913 Webster] If death be punitive, so, likewise, is the necessity imposed upon man of toiling for his subsistence. I.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4Punitive — may refer to:*Punishment *Punitive damages …

    Wikipedia

  • 5punitive — (adj.) 1620s, inflicting or involving punishment, from Fr. punitif (16c.), from M.L. punitivus (mid 13c.), from L. punitus, pp. of punire (see PUNISH (Cf. punish)) …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 6punitive — [adj] concerning punishment castigating, correctional, disciplinary, in reprisal, in retaliation, penal, punishing, punitory, retaliative, retaliatory, revengeful, vindictive; concept 319 Ant. beneficial, rewarding …

    New thesaurus

  • 7punitive — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ inflicting or intended as punishment. DERIVATIVES punitively adverb punitiveness noun …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8punitive — [pyo͞o′nə tiv] adj. [ML punitivus < L punitus, pp. of punire, to PUNISH] inflicting, concerned with, or directed toward punishment: also punitory punitively adv. punitiveness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 9punitive — pu|ni|tive [ˈpju:nıtıv] adj [usually before noun] [Date: 1600 1700; : French; Origin: punitif, from Medieval Latin punitivus, from Latin punire; PUNISH] 1.) intended to punish someone punitive action/measures etc ▪ The agency sent a letter, but… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10punitive — adjective 1 punitive taxes/price increases etc taxes etc that are so severe that people find it very difficult to pay: The new Bill enables people to sue and win punitive damages for discrimination. 2 punitive actions/measures/damages etc actions …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English