Where does “punitive” come from?
Punitive derives from Middle French punitif, from Latin punitivus, from Latin punio meaning "to punish," from Latin poena meaning "penalty," from Ancient Greek ποινή, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂ and kʷey-.
punitive (English): inflicting punishment, punishing
Definitions
- inflicting punishment, punishing
Ancestry of “punitive”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | punitif | — |
| 2 | Latin | punitivus | — |
| 3 | Latin | puniō | to punish |
| 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 |