restitution
n. uncountablen. the act of returning something that was lost or stolen to its rightful owner. It can also mean paying money to someone to make up for damage or loss you caused.
n. the restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner; alternatively, the act of making good or giving an equivalent for some injury or loss.
The court ordered the thief to make full restitution to the victims.
After the museum discovered the artifacts were stolen decades ago, they arranged for their immediate restitution to the original country.
The legal settlement focused on financial restitution for the affected families, though many argued that no amount of money could truly compensate for the environmental damage caused by the spill.
From Old French restitucion, from Latin restitutio.
Often used in the phrase 'make restitution' or followed by the preposition 'to' (the victim) or 'for' (the loss).