Word
penal
Phoneticspe·nal, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpinəɫ/
UK/pˈiːnəl/
Definitions
01relating to punishment
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
adj. relating to the legal punishment of people who have committed a crime.
adj. relating to or prescribing the legal punishment of offenders within a judicial framework.
“The government is planning to reform the country's penal system to reduce crime.”
“Legal scholars argued that the proposed changes to the penal code were unnecessarily harsh and failed to address the root causes of recidivism.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies, such as 'penal code' or 'penal system'.
Teaching tip
This is a high-level academic and legal term; in everyday conversation, people usually say 'criminal' or 'prison-related'.
Synonyms
02serving as a place of punishment
C1 · Advanced Law Formal
adj. used as a place where prisoners are kept as punishment.
adj. functioning as a place of confinement or forced labour for those convicted of crimes.
“In the past, some islands were used as penal colonies for dangerous criminals.”
“The remote archipelago served as a penal settlement for decades before being converted into a protected wildlife sanctuary.”
Usage
Commonly found in the fixed expression 'penal colony'.
Teaching tip
Often used in historical contexts when discussing how countries used to manage their prisoner populations.
Synonyms
03punishable by law
C2 · Proficiency Law Formal · Technical
adj. describing an action that can be punished by law.
adj. constituting an offence that is liable to a legal penalty.
“The new law made the act a penal offence for the first time.”
“Under the revised statutes, any failure to disclose these financial interests became a penal matter subject to heavy fines.”
Usage
Typically used in technical legal documents rather than general news reporting.
Teaching tip
This sense is very rare outside of formal legal writing; 'punishable' is the standard word for general use.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Old French peinal, from Medieval Latin penalis, from Latin poenalis, from poena (“punishment”), from Ancient Greek ποινή (poinḗ, “punishment”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷoynéh₂.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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