Where does “penal” come from?
penal (Romanian) comes from Latin poenalis, from Latin poenā, from Ancient Greek ποινή, from Proto-Hellenic kʷoinā́, from Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷey- — to pay; to avenge.
penal (Romanian): penal
Definitions
- penal
Ancestry of “penal”, step by step
penal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin poenalis
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | poenalis | penal; of or pertaining to punishment |
| 2 | Latin | poenā | penalty, punishment |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |