# disciplinary

/ˈdɪsəpɫəˌnɛɹi/ (US) · /dˈɪsɪplˌɪnəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disciplinary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. related to rules and punishment

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

related to the rules of a workplace or school and the punishment for breaking them.

For teachers: relating to the enforcement of order and the procedures used to address misconduct in a professional or institutional setting.

- The company started a disciplinary process after he was late for the third time.
- The human resources department initiated formal disciplinary proceedings following several documented instances of professional misconduct.

Usage: Commonly modifies nouns like 'action', 'hearing', 'procedure', or 'measure'.

### 2. related to a field of study

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

related to a specific subject or branch of knowledge, especially in a university.

For teachers: pertaining to a particular branch of knowledge or academic field.

- The professor has deep disciplinary knowledge in the field of chemistry.
- The research project required a high degree of disciplinary expertise to ensure the methodology met the standards of the physics department.

Teaching tip: This sense is most common in university settings; in general conversation, 'disciplinary' almost always refers to punishment.

### 3. a punishment or hearing

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a formal meeting or action taken when someone breaks the rules at work.

For teachers: an instance of disciplinary action or a formal hearing regarding professional conduct.

- He had to attend a disciplinary because of his poor performance.
- The union representative accompanied the employee to the disciplinary to ensure all company protocols were strictly followed.

## Examples

- The company is taking disciplinary action against him.
- The school board held a disciplinary hearing to decide if the student should be suspended.
- Human resources initiated a formal disciplinary investigation following multiple reports of professional misconduct and repeated violations of the safety protocol.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.