Word a Day
punitive
What does punitive mean?
punitive (adjective): inflicting punishment; punishing.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use punitive in a sentence?
- The council took punitive measures against poachers. (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0)
How do you pronounce punitive?
/ˈpjunətɪv/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does punitive come from?
From Middle French punitif, from Medieval Latin pūnitīvus, from pūniō (“to punish”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Words related to punitive
From Princeton WordNet 3.1.
Test yourself: do you know “punitive”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “punitive” mean?
measured or expressed in numbers
Not quite: that's what numerical means.
likely or most likely to be true
Not quite: that's what probable means.
inflicting punishment; punishing
Right! That's what “punitive” means.
performed or happening in secret
Not quite: that's what undercover means.
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