Where does “penal” come from?
Penal comes from Old French peinal, derived from Medieval Latin penalis, from Latin poenalis meaning "of punishment," formed from poena "penalty" and the suffix -alis, ultimately tracing to Ancient Greek ποινή and Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂.
penal (English): Of or relating to punishment; Subject to...
Definitions
- Of or relating to punishment; Subject to...
Ancestry of “penal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | peinal | — |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | penalis | — |
| 3 | Latin | poenalis | penal; of or pertaining to punishment |
| 4 | Latin | poenā | penalty, punishment |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |