Where does “penal” come from?
penal (Portuguese) comes from Portuguese pênalti, from English penalty, from Middle French pénalité, from French pénal, from Latin poenalis, from Latin poenā, from Ancient Greek ποινή, from Proto-Hellenic kʷoinā́ — to pay; to avenge.
penal (Portuguese): penal related to punishment, often in legal context
Definitions
- penal related to punishment, often in legal context
Ancestry of “penal”, step by step
penal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Portuguese pênalti
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | pênalti | penalty kick |
| 2 | English | penalty | A legal sentence; A punishment for violating... |
| 3 | Middle French | pénalité | — |
| 4 | French | pénal | penal, criminal |
| 5 | Latin | poenalis | penal; of or pertaining to punishment |
| 6 | Latin | poenā | penalty, punishment |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |