punitivus

Forms

pūnītīvus, pūnītīva, pūnītīvum (first and second declension)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin pūniō (“to punish”) + -īvus in Medieval Latin, made on the past participle pūnītus.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it first in Fleta, the English law book of about 1290, meaning “punishing”.^[1]

Semantic evolution

It described what belongs to punishment: a sentence that punishes, chastisements, corporal coercive power, and the punishing justice of God shown in the damned.^[2][4] In Polish Latin it was also said of people liable to punishment.^[4] English punitive comes from French punitif or directly from this word.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 1290 – Fleta uses it for “punishing”.^[1]
• 1354 – A Polish charter speaks of a sentencia punitiva.^[4]
• 1620s – English punitive is first recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Punitive, relating to or inflicting punishment.^[2][1][4]
2. (Medieval Latin, of people) Liable to or deserving punishment.^[4]

Related words

• pūniō
• poena

References

1. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
2. ^ a b c Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl