penalty
/ˈpɛn.əl.ti/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: penalties
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A legal sentence.
Noun
Examples
The penalty for his crime was to do hard labor.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A punishment for violating rules of procedure.
Noun
Examples
Was it so irreconcilable, Warwick wondered, as still to peal out the curfew bell, which at nine o'clock at night had clamorously warned all negroes, slave or free, that it was unlawful for them to be abroad after that hour, under penalty of imprisonment or whipping?
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “penalty” mean?
A legal sentence.
Is “penalty” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.